Cloud Walker
by Snowden
Summary: A Thief steals the Master Sword and returns barely a month later, confused and distraught. He is coaxed into sharing his story by Zelda and Link. It began as simple greed, it ended in love and loss. Ongoing story, rated M for future developments.
1. The Interrogation I

Author's Foreword - This is the first chapter in an ongoing story. I'm aware of the pitfalls of submitting these things in sequence, but I felt an external motivation was needed to quicken the pace. I will try to finish it, but no time table is set (though certainly not soon™). Updates will come as I finish chapters.

This story is a romance and an adventure, an original tale adapted to and set within the Zelda universe. It was born out of an idea for a minor Zelda game, and though I can never create such a game, I can novelize its story. I have Nintendo to thank for creating such a rich world and in no way claim ownership of Zelda and its elements, or intend to profit by "pilfering" said elements.

I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 1: Interrogation I

_It isn't easy, playing god."_

"Where did you find him?"

"Cornered him by the throne, majesty."

"And the sword?"

"Here, your majesty, found it at the front gate."

"The gate? You mean he did not have it with him?"

"No, your majesty."

_"It isn't easy, playing god."_

"What was he doing in the throne room?"

"Throne itself, majesty, searching or looking about it or something. I'm not sure, my apologies, your majesty."

"Why not ask him?"

"Princess! That would hardly be prudent."

"Are you so sure he's not willing to talk, minister?"

"A derelict mind would not have anything civil to say. May I remind your Majesty, my principle occupation is to deal with such..."

"Enough, Mortimer."

"Well?"

"Majesty, he doesn't seem to be in the mood, if I may say... look at 'im."

"He does seem..."

"Link, dear? What do you say?"

"Sure."

_"It isn't easy, playing god."_

"Well. Thief, what have you to say?"

Silence.

"Speak up."

Silence.

"Surely, your behavior is unusual for a thief. Have you nothing to say in your defense?"

Silence.

"I order you to speak!"

Silence.

"It would be wise, to talk now, rather than in court, lad."

Silence.

"Or the dungeon, if you care."

Silence.

"Do speak, young one. Father is forgiving."

Silence.

"He's not paying attention," The green-clad remarked.

"Hallo? Lad! Wake up!"

Silence.

"What is wrong with him?"

"Agh."

"Should I rouse him?"

"Do so." A loud thump sounded out, followed by two more of greater severity.

Silence.

"By the Goddesses..."

"Cold water, maybe," said the green-clad.

"Better than beating him over the head, I hope."

"I was right, your Excellency, he's not to be bargained with."

"Mortimer."

"Here is the bucket."

"I'll get that for yeh."

_"It isn't easy, playing god."_

Why do those words haunt me so?

"Waky waky, eggs and bacon!"

My senses reeled. The icy water engulfed me, for a second, drowning me. Like daggers and needles the sensations showered upon my mind from all over. I jumped, shocked and sputtering, several paces backwards before landing. The blurry figures soon surrounded me. On the nape of my neck, on my breast, and on the small of my back I felt pricks. Heavy, sharp weights barely resting on the skin it felt like. My hearing was crystal, my sight was obscured by wet eyelids. All I felt was fear, fear of where I was, who these dark figures were, fear from the coldness that consumed my upper half and fear from the threat of the metals aimed upon my vitals. I began shaking, uncontrollably.

"Oh do find him a towel!"

"That should do it."

"Keep him still."

"Here. No here."

"A towel, for goddesses sakes."

I daren't move, though my eyelids craved it and my instincts begged it.

"Zelda, you ought not help prisoners."

"He is a kid!"

There was more commotion about me.

"Link, help?"

"Your majesty, the sword's back in its place... oh, I beg apologies for the intrusion."

"Thank you for the news, knight."

"Let me have those shackles."

"Cover him, bowyers."

"No! No shackles! Where is that towel?"

There was hustling over me, knocking me to and fro. My hands still did not move. The points on my chest and neck disappeared, the one upon my back grew to a sting. At one point it jabbed me, sending pain throughout. Still, I could not cry nor defend.

"Sire, I don't think it wise for the royal family to be so close."

"True, but the princess is stubborn."

"She is too kind."

"Thank you! And get that away!"

The sting was relieved. A rough fabric fell upon my soaked hair, rubbing it. The bite of coldness faded. My extremities are not so numb. More was said, but I could not catch it through the roving mat. Eyes that would not open till rubbed were finally appeased.

"Feel better?"

"Olright, my lady, time to let him go."

"Brutes."

"Now don't be like that, my lady."

"I want him kept in the state room and taken care of."

"A common criminal..."

"This 'common criminal' duped your entire garrison and made off with the Master Sword, Sir Hoen."

No reply from the soldier. The first thing I looked upon was a beautiful face, glowing brightly with vigor. It was adorned in precious jewels, and its features were strong, well defined. Golden hair enshrined that face, and the eyes... they were enchanting, something old and majestic and forgotten. To others, it may be a sigil of love, but for me, it was a sign far greater: a savior.

"Hello." Another face leaned inward. It looked familiar. The green-clad man, I have seen him somewhere before. Memory has failed me at the moment, the shock not quite gone. "Your name, lad?"

"Thiel." That part of me that did things, remembered things without my conscious approval answered. As it did, I myself did remember my own name. Thiel. Thiel van Fieffen.

"Thiel van Fieffen. Son of Ingo van Fieffen, knight, service of King Frederick." That too came automatically, and along with it came a rush of recollections. My father's strict ethic and strict hand. My mother, subservient, meek. My brother, my sister, my other brother, too old to trust me.

"King Frederick? Of Holodrum? He's Holish?"

"Or Arcan, they're military is also sworn to Frederick. Does he mean Frederick the Third or Fourth?"

"Holodrum, I think, Fieffen sounds like a Holish name."

"Third or Fourth, then?"

"Third, if it was his father. Fourth is fairly new to the throne.

Pointed ears. They all had pointed ears. Hylians have those kinds of ears. I was in Hyrule. Majesty? Princess? I can't be... in the castle? Why? What happened? One motioned others closer, and engaged in debate. At last my surroundings were open to observation.

I was in a room, well lit, smooth stone walls, polished wood columns, well crafted. It was wide, but had a low ceiling. No, it was average in height, but simply vast in the horizontal dimension. The lighting came from braziers, burning more like diluted suns than devilish red-casted torches. Scattered about were plain furnitures, though the place was for the most part empty. The room had no apparent identity or purpose.

In this part, though, a crowd was gathered. About myself and another knot were armored figures. Soldiers. Their armor was silver, plated, and sparkled in the fire. Upon their shoulders they bore an insignia, three triangles stacked like a pyramid, golden bright, and bordered by patterns. This must be Hylia, after all. The soldiers still had their blades drawn, pointed in my direction. A few had bows, slack but also aimed for my body. On the fringes were dignitaries, most Hylian, a few of races I could not name nor recognize. The group at the other end held four or five such dignitaries, a well-decorated knight, the golden-haired savior, the green-clad man, and one so rich in dress and so commanding in stature I could only assume twas the king. The King of Hyrule. Then again, his garb was tougher than appeared, and dirtier. He must have been out in the woods before coming here. His head turned, then proceeded to walk till he stood within a pace of me.

"Have him cleaned up. I will talk to him when he is alert and sober, in the throne room. Dismissed."

"At once sire."

The crowd glanced at me as they walked past. The King seemed stern and mistrustful. The princess (she must be) looked with pity. The green-clad (where was he from?) looked curious. The first minister gave me a nastier version of the king's face. The second was also curious. The captain stared blankly, hiding his feelings.

"Come on you. To the state room. Lucky bastard."

I was yanked to my feet and pushed roughly along.

I was guided, not gently, along corridors and stairwells, through rooms that held no obvious purpose, except maybe to confuse invaders, as well as more apparent ones, such as a nexus of stairwells and a postal room. Eventually I came to a more comforting hallway, and at last into a homely guest quarters. I was shoved inside, and the door rumbled shut behind me.

"Don't try anything funny, we've magics to monitor you in there!" came a muffled warning from the other side. I was not eager to test them. I found the bed, and collapsed into it without study. I felt immeasurably tired, not of the body, but of the mind. Staring at the ceiling, I gathered as much recollection as I could. Thoughts flickered to and fro. At last, in an attempt to organize the strains, I began from the recent and wounded back. The bed, the journey through the corridors, the crowd, the comfort, the cold, the conversations, the numbness...

_"It isn't easy, playing god."_

"Why?" I asked. I asked that. No, I did not. I should have. I wanted to. I had wanted to. The memories came back, why I was here, in this castle, trapped. Along with the memories, slowly, painfully, came the tears.


	2. The Interrogation II

Chapter 2: Interrogation II

"All alone, again."

Despicable, the story of my life. The interrogation did not seem terribly important to them. The sun was already low when I entered here, and had long since given way to the crescent moon. Out of anxiety, I began searching the room, to avoid thinking too much.

The enchantments were quite visible. A glassy shell encased the door, the windows, and any other opening. I tried touching it, but could not. While I kept up the intent to touch it, my hand grew heavy, tired, and could not move. As soon as I gave up, it felt better. Looking up, I found a chandelier with bright blue flames. Vision charms, to let outsiders monitor the place. The Hylians were certainly well-known for handling the unexplainable forces of the world. It made me wonder if they had special court conjurers, or if the Royal Family wielded the arts themselves.

The rest was typical of a state room, well furnished for resting the weary traveler and organizing their diplomatic duties. It could have been brighter, if the lamps had been lit. The guards probably did not think it prudent to give a thief fire.

With nothing better to do, I took in the smallest detail and feature of my lavish cell. By the time it became tedium to find something new midnight must have passed. Boredom grew to conjecture, turning to contemplation of the future which was so pleasant compared to the past.

"This late, I guess the King was tired and retired. Who would have time for a thief?"

"Or maybe it's deliberate, not wanting me sober but miserable, all the less able to lie."

"Or..." I went to bed, trying not to think. The covers were thick and grew hot very quickly. I wanted to throw them off, but there were no intermediates and the castle was bitterly cold. Not the worst I had known, but cold enough. By letting in some air I could gain respite for a bit. In this way I slept, turning and tossing uneasily. No thoughts, no dreams, entered my vacant mind, bless the goddesses.

All is calm.

All is quiet.

The pre-dawn sun steals night's embrace with the faintest effort.

_"What would you ask for?"_

"What?"

"Get up! I said get up!"

Had I slipped? No, but barely.

"Hurry up! Water's in the bowl, heated too. Make yerself presentable."

I didn't care if I was presentable. Though, a hot bath may make me relax, and forget the night. It helped, loosing my soul and senses into the warm waters. Yet, as soon as I left the water a breeze chilled me. Then the memories returned.

"This way."

Silence.

"Not that treatment again. Get yer feet movin."

By now the corridors were all too familiar. It might have been my thirtieth journey through the halls and corridors and chambers, I've lost count. There was the central stair, sloping from the courtyard entrance up to the throne room. All the rest of the castle radiated from the throne in concentric squares. Interspersed throughout were gardens, halls, libraries, workshops, barracks, observatories, kitchens, studies, and all the other necessities of housing a royal family and running a nation. I began to feel like the entire castle was a labyrinth, and could easily be converted into a fortress. Hyrule did have a history of invasions and coups.

We were near the top of the grand foyer staircase. It must run three or four stories from the ground to the peak, in one long slope. Great beams of fine oak held the marble stones in place, even the ceilings. The walls were draped in banners of red and gold, colors of the King of Red Lions (the monarch's official title I'm told). Through the massive doors we went, into the seat of that monarch. It was much like the staircase, except everything that was merely painted before was here encased and gilded.

"Set him right there."

"Your majesty, the prisoner." The guards bowed, showed me to a lone stool sitting at the foot of the dais. Arraigned above me were all the significant powers of the Hyrule nation. There were far more dignitaries than last night. More soldiers, as well, but mostly high ranking officers. The King was in his splendid chair, on his side was the green-clad man (though it was now a rich evergreen suit, not a woodsman's outfit). Clutching his arm was the Princess. Curse me, but I've never studied Hyrule politics, and cannot name a one of them. Except the young man, he is Link, now I remember. A quaint name, I think, even for a Hylian. I thought it a funny name, and so smiled. Small amusements were another remedy for the pain.

He was talking, whispering something in her ear. No one else was joining them, they all had their own affairs. They would look at me, disdainfully, then to the king, anxiously. He was debating, quietly but furiously, some matter with his commanders. Another armored figure came up to him, and gave a message. The king became very animated, yelling "how in hell!", "goddesses", and "excuse me" in quick succession. His face was red and ready to erupt in anger. I laughed, a little. Small amusements: distractions were the best.

"And now..."

The King was determined to bring me back to it. His temper had been calmed, and now focused upon myself. Why not let me be? I don't want to hurt anymore!

"Let us begin."

The crowd fell silent.

"Are you awake?"

I did not answer.

"By the looks of it. Are you sober?"

I tried my best to look drugged.

"Apparently yes."

Meh, I thought I could still pull off impressions.

"Is your name Thiel van Fieffen?"

I nodded, barely.

"I am King Daedric. I, along with General Oris, Minister Mortimer, and Lawman Sturgis will be interrogating you. The Honorable Justice De'Lafonte will preside. This being a formal hearing, you are bound by Sacred Law to tell the truth. Do you understand?"

I nodded. I felt sick. I did not want to tell the truth. I did not want to say anything at all. I prayed that the Sacred Law was not so strict.

"You are charged with breaking and entering into these royal grounds, resisting arrest, theft of a treasured artifact, and endangerment of the kingdom's safety. Do you deny any of these charges?"

I shook my head.

"Do you then admit to purposeful acts of Evil?"

I shook my head.

"Then do you admit to criminal acts done in the name of Good?"

I shook my head.

"You are contradicting yourself."

Another shake.

"Then explain yourself."

I didn't want to say a word. I just kept shaking my head, hoping they would be done with it already.

"By the Power of goddesses, you must answer."

The Power fell upon me. I hardly expected it. It was as if a living thing, heavy as a pack beast, calm but tenacious, were balanced on my head. My mouth was wrested open, and soon enough I felt compelled to speak my mind. The syllables spilled out, at first mere babe's babble.

"Roug homnihuhoff grou noff muf nof no... pli... no... please... just kill me. Stop this torture."

"What was that? Speak up!"

He can't understand the pain he's causing!

"It hurts."

"What?"

How vexing! How desperate!

"Not here. Gone..."

"You are muttering, I must order you to speak so we can hear!"

"KILL ME ALREADY!"

Even the King was too stunned to speak, though he needn't invoke the weight of law again.

"I am sinful! Put an end to me, or lock me up in a dank prison, or anything! Please just don't make me remember!"

Silence, for a long, long time.

So very long.

Agony.

Dearth.

Stillness.

...

...

...

"Despair is not a kind murderer."

"It is absent here."

I did not see the speaker, but I know they are wrong. To go on living would be simple, so easy, yet...

"Thiel."

The voice of the golden-haired savior.

"Where does it hurt?"

I didn't want to say it. Something in the Power, or in the magic of her voice...

I raised my hand to my heart. Yes, there, in my chest, that instrument of life that felt sure to stop every time the memories arise. It hurt in a way that was not pain, but a lack of feeling, of numbness.

"Father, I think it may be wiser... to keep his mind on more particulars."

"A good idea. Link, you were there. You should ask him, from the start." The green-clad stepped forward. His face was that of a boy in a man's body, though a boy who was more mature than a wrinkled elder.

"Thiel."

I did not respond.

"Thiel, can you talk? At all?"

Silence.

"Thiel, you took a very important object from here. Because of that, many people could be in peril."

Silence still.

"All right, what about the snatching? It was a clever job."

"Hmm."

"The Master Sword is special. The enchantments are ancient; our spells are mere cantrips by contrast. It should have taken one of Wisdom, Courage, and Strength to take the Sword. Those virtues... are not gained so easily."

"Hmph."

"It's the one thing that makes me believe that somehow, what you did was not wrong. The Sword will not accept one without the virtues. Are you truly brave, wise, and strong?"

"...ong."

"Hmm?"

"Sword in the stone, sword was too strong, of course."

"You did do something to free it."

"Stone had weakness, no magic there. Blew it up, used bombs."

"That would explain the mess we found. Still... the sword itself, you did manage to pick it up."

"Heavy it was too, made me sick in the stomach."

"You ran. The guards didn't know till you jumped in the moat."

"Idiot thing to do. No time."

"We gave chase, through the plains, the forest, the deeper woods. And then..."

"Why are you wasting time with small chat!" I suddenly shouted.

"There was a ravine, and a monster. We lost track of you. Twenty-one days ago."

If only it was twenty-one days and no more!

"What happened?"

Silence.

"Please tell us. What happened?"

Silence.

Link turned around, shook his head. He went back to his place, by the Princess' side.

"Sir Thiel, may I ask, why did you take the Master Sword?" the lawman asked.

"Shut up."

"I beg your pardon, but profanity..."

"To hell with you. And you, you bloody king."

The host gasped, but the King took up the joust.

"Thief, you should be in the dungeons, rotting, given a common trial and a common fate. Do you even know why you have earned the audience of the full Court?"

"As if I gave a damn."

"Impudence!"

I was nearly in tears now. The rush between calm and nerves, the constant wear to hold back the flood was bearing me to the abyss. Though, even still, I tried to be calm.

"I'm under ... your law.. to be truthful. I cannot be truthful, for it were to bring back something I once knew, and that would be the end of me. So, good sire, I must... say nothing, feel nothing, believe nothing. I pray that you could... let me be. On that account."

The soldier spoke up.

"Have you ever heard of the name Ganondorf?"

"Who? What? no..."

Murmurs in the court.

"Truthfully?"

"No..." I was confused now.

"He doesn't seem torn. He's under oath."

Many murmurings around the fringes.

"Thank you, Captain Oris, you have done what we could not." The King turned to me. "Keep your secrets then. Dismissed. Guards, throw him back in his room. We haven't any more time to waste on him."

"Yes your majesty."

Blessed soldier! I haven't any idea what your question was or why it has set me arest, but thank you! You in turn haven't the faintest notion of what trouble you have saved me! I turned to look, as they led me away. He seemed so handsome, so alike Father, at that moment. If only I....

"Back this way, runt."

Again they led me to the corridors and halls, the maze of passages. On my part, I felt like collapsing. The guards about me looked reasonably well informed.

"Has anyone in this kingdom invented a draught of amnesia?"

"Shut yer mouth."

A pity. Perhaps I'll sleep better, tonight, and without dreams again. I would not mind if I never dreamed again. That would be all I want in the whole world, right now. Never to dream, never to think, never to remember, never to feel. The hot covers, the soothing heat seems so good to me tonight. I let the darkness embrace me.

_"What would you ask for? If they offered you anything imaginable?" _


	3. Opening Up

Chapter 3: Opening Up

_"Will you forgive me?"_

Why must these words come?

Four days, three nights, have passed. The guards open the door, mornings and evenings, to let a maid bring a meager meal. Pastries, mostly, what the servants themselves may dine on. But for that, nothing happened within the confines of my prison. Outside the doors, I heard the occasional hustling and yelling. The suite across from mine had an occupant who was frequently coming and going. Hushed whispers could be heard down the hall. Soldiers marched about, heavy armor clanking and boots thudding the ground with angry determination. It gave me the sense that I was missing out on something. Some news that was big, and dire.

On the fourth night the dullness was abruptly broken. The windows did not afford a particularly good view, nothing but parapets, dense foliage and then the sky. That night the forest glowed. Shining directly upon my eyes, it awoke me. Wearily I rose, wondering what would cause such a light in this hour. Fire, apparently. The trees and brush were burning. Large billowing flames rolled across the canopy, leaving but ash and embers. A pine tree had just flared up, having been set aflame near-instantly. That must be the brilliant glare that interrupted my sleep.

A few minutes later and it was near enough the walls to hear. It created an ever-present roar, and a whistling wind.

"Here!"

"It's locked! No wait, spell. Goddesses, not now!" came cries from beyond the door.

"Let me!"

A second, and the stout oak and mirror-like charm were cleft in two.

"Inside."

First came the prince-to-be, Link. He was followed by pall-bearers, struggling to haul a make-shift stretcher. Upon it lay the King, though only recognizable from his girth. What was once a fine suit of dress armor was now a blackened shell. His hands were disfigured with burns. Zelda fell in behind them.

"Oh, that's why."

Link paused a moment to stare at me. He shook his head, and then motioned to the fireplace.

"It's lit, good, good."

He brought out a small bag, reached in, and took a pinch of something out.

"Back."

He flicked his wrist, tossing dust into the fire. It bellowed violently, then went out in a blue wisp of smoke. The mantle itself enlargened, forming itself into a kind of passage. Beyond the threshold it sloped out of site.

Link helped the pair move the king, and the woman followed suit. They did not say a word to me. I suppose the situation must be grim indeed, to ignore a prisoner.

With that thought in mind, I grabbed a canteen and dashed after them. The moment I passed the fireplace, it closed around me, bathing me in darkness. I stopped, unsure of my footing, unsure of my actions.

The passage descended in clockwise fashion. I felt it out, gingerly, with my toes. it was very steep, not more than a foot-length between each step. The stretcher-bearers must have had a rough time. After a few minutes my eyes adjusted. A very dim light, far above, gave some illumination. It looked like a well, with a railed stair winding round and round.

I took the steps four at a time, relying more on my hand and the rail to keep my balance. It was not long before I caught up with the entourage, just as it flattened out into a dank, earthy cave. As I guessed, the injured slowed them down. The toll of the descent could be seen in their heaving chests. I noticed myself breathing heavily, limbs feeling dull and leaden. We were all so helpless.

There was a roar overhead, then a bang, and then the earth around us collapsed. I was in the center of it all, and had time for one thought.

"Oh well, not a sad way to go."

_______________________

Coming to, I felt soar but unhurt. Looking around, I was surprised to find the others had faired as well. They were sitting up against a mound of soil, supposedly where the exit had once been. Around me lay massive chunks of earth, stone, and the remains of the stair. A great beam of wood had fallen directly above me, wedged between the wall and the debris. It had deflected the falling boulders, else I would be crushed. A narrow escape, but I felt nothing of it.

"Oh, it's you."

I nodded. The princess gave me a quaint look, then went back to tending her father. The cove that had sheltered me was relatively comfortable, and I was tired, so I lay down.

"We're trapped," said Link. "It seems like the entire passage slipped below the level of this cave. The door is a solid wall."

He gestured above.

"Thankfully the stairwell remained intact, at least we can breath."

He said no more, but lay down beside his love. We all needed sleep.

"Who will watch the thief?" asked one of the attendants.

"You can, if you're worried about him," replied the Princess. He eyed me too, apprehensively, before deciding it was worth it to ignore me.

It was Daedric who woke up first. He yelled and raged for a moment, before the pain overcame him. Zelda shushed him and cradled him. She whispered to him, explaining the present situation.

"Who's here? I can't see."

"Me and Link, and Sorteir and Pacs."

"Is all that made it?"

"No, goodness no, more would have escaped while you held the gate."

"Ah, I see, that's well."

"Well, actually, Thiel followed us."

"Thiel?"

"The Sword thief."

"Oh bugger, anyone watching him?

"No father, there's no where for him to go, anyways."

"Hmm, well, he's on his own. Make sure he is aware of that."

"I'm sure he is."

I wasn't aware that I needed to be rescued. I didn't care.

Hours passed, and nothing happened. Link was the only one who got up, probing the walls and ground, turning up nothing. There was nothing to do but dwell on private thoughts.

Like why I was here, given over to hopelessness and nihilism.

I could not remember why I came back here. There was something important, some chance, some hope, that now eludes me. A foolish thought, I guess, thinking I could exchange the stolen Sword for that chance.

Self pity, I guess. I regret much of my life. I feel like having never been born would be fine for me. Cowardice, surely. I could not bring myself to accept what I had been through. And then...

_"Will you forgive me?"_

"Oh be silent!"

"What?"

"The words, they keep coming back to me.." I spoke without intending. Now four sets of eyes focused on my figure. Questioning, and more than passing glances. They had been witless, too long, they needed the relief of conversation.

"Who are you talking to?"

Silence.

"Oh please not that again."

Utter silence. I could not speak. Would not. Should not. Not if it meant a return of the pain that was a loss of feeling, not an excess.

"Thiel."

"Thiel."

"Lad, you look tortured."

I shook my head.

"Please yourself. I think you'll open up, give it time."

Time passed. The numbness grew. The deep pit of loathing sank even more, trapping me.

If it kept up, I would be lost. It didn't matter.

I don't need to live. Not like this.

_"It isn't easy, playing god."_

Go away.

_"What would you ask for? If they offered you anything imaginable?"_

For you to stop pestering me.

_"You'll end up alone."_

I was always alone!

_"Will you forgive me?"_

"How can I? I haven't the right!"

A whisper, no more, but heard none-the-less.

Princess Zelda crawled over to me. She took my hand in hers, I jerked mine back. She came closer.

"No."

"Thiel, let it out."

"No."

"Please."

"Thiel, we all hurt. We have sores and bruises and cuts. But Thiel, you're hurting where it comes worst."

"Never."

"Please?"

I looked into those eyes, and was mesmerized. I gave in. I'm mortal, after all. We all are.

"I'm not worth your pity."

"Pity? Love, Thiel, I love all living things, including you."

"It's not worth it, to live and love."

I took a deep breath.

"I was once loved."

And so the tale began.


	4. The Thief

**Chapter Four: The Thief**

You asked if I knew about the Master Sword. Of course I know of it. The legend is rampant across the entire continent. It's a mythical blade handed down from the ancient past, an Evil's Bane that has the power to sunder all enemies, no matter the defense or sorcery they employ. The metal is unknown, shining white and pure. The handle is blue as the calm sea, giving one a grip that can never be undone under duress. Perfectly balanced, an edge keen as the horizon, an inner strength that defies explanation and resistance alike. That is the weapon that has guarded Hyrule for eons, aye, it has served many owners, and even many Hyrules.

I hardly took the legend at face value, at first. A gullible rogue will soon get caught. Legends are for children and the poor, comforts and curiosities, enough to make them believe in something better, something amazing, about their nation.

I was twelve, when I first heard about it. I was as clever then as I was now, though not as wise. It was in a tavern, as I waited on old, haggardly coops, bragging about their heritage. It was like any other tall tale, likely untrue or at most buried in the past. My thoughts were on combat, the joys and challenges, and the description had me day-dreaming. I asked where one could find such a blade, and the reply was ridicule.

"Don't laugh at im, folks! Same legend says runts his age were wielded the sword, saved our loving home!"

"Aw Gus, don't kid yerself. Even if he could use it, there's no way they'd let him!"

"Why?" I asked.

"King won't say why, but he don't let ANYONE get near that blade. He says its cursed."

That night and many after I spent dwelling on that sword. It would have been wonderful to have, but then, I reminded myself, it was just a fairy tale. No more than a honorific given to some monarch's personal weapon. Interest was set aside, for some years, when I ran off and began my career.

At first I was honest to a fault. A wolf-eyed geezer taught me the profession of treasure hunting. It went well, until I started my own adventures. The world, it seems, has been picked clean. Most loot has been taken and sold to banks and kingdoms and the like, and put under heavy guard. Anything left of value is under rock beds or leagues of water. They require a company to unearth, years of record pruning, archeological snooping, and surveying for the hope of striking a big deal. I hadn't the patience for such work, or the attitude to hire into such a company.

So I turned to theft, hoping to gain those treasures by illegitimate means. It was frightening, how easy the transition was. Traveling in the wild, the honest are subject to all manner of ambush and assaults: you have the feral monsters to contend with, and the common bandit as well. The weak and unlucky fall prey, the rest learn to adapt. In learning how to counter the bandits, I also acquired many of their skills.

My first heist was out of frustration. I was driven to hunger without any income, and my pride refused to let me take up another profession. Out of desperation, I took an offer to assess a pile of quartz. Halfway through I was informed my assessment was a courtesy, with nothing but a "thank-you" for my work. I did find a rare mineral, a chunk of alan's stone, in the pile. Cut it into the correct shape and it makes excellent spectacle lenses. Rather than point it out, however, I smiled and said the lot of rocks was worthless. I made two-hundred rupees for that gem, all the while cursing my decision and blaming everything on the client.

Petty lies gave way to subtlety and subterfuge. By the fifth crime I did not even bother to rationalize my actions. By my tenth, I began enjoying the "game". I sought greater thrills, more challenging swindles. Once I had my hands on a wealthy banker's fortune, I no longer worried for my well-being. Most importantly, I was never caught.

When I did not have to survive day to day, boredom set in. The meniality of stealing money irked me. I was one of those lads who sought fame, in my own way. Races hire mercenaries and guards to protect wealth. They are greedy, greed for a means of survival and greed for the comforts and prestige wealth provides. However, they also guard artifacts. Not with soldiers, but spells, and monsters, and curses, and a plethora of other defenses. For these items of power, losing them is not simply a financial matter. It evokes fear, mainly of death. The items of power, that people seal away but do not covet, became the objects of my desire.

Guess who trained me.

A Hylian. Hehe. Yep. Name was Auver. He was a soldier, in charge of your Haeldum garrison. Met him at the store, and he took an interest in me. He agreed to let me practice against the garrison. I was caught many times, but each time he would free me, making it appear I had magically escaped. Afterwards we would meet and he would give me a debriefing. In exchange for his tutorage, I took care of the local threats in the area; moblins, brigands, syndicate and the like. Any I couldn't handle myself I tipped off to the garrison. It was a good partnership. Then Auver was reassigned, and I never found out where. I would like to meet him again.

On our last meeting, at the tavern, he got into a lengthy discussion about Hylian history. He was a patriot to a fault. I suppose he had one too many ales, and forgot my interests. Late in the monotonous conversation he turned to conversing about the Sword. I remembered it, and began a more two-sided dialogue.

"Myth my arse! Sword's real."

He took a chug of his ale.

"Touched it myself, along with every other captain when they're knighted."

"And you can bet everything you've heard about it is true, and more. You see, royal family don't want it generally known that the sword still exists and it's in the castle. Has something to do with old tales or security, or something. But they never take it from that chunk of stone. Not sure anyone can, said to be powerfully gripped by that rock."

"Anyways, I saw it. Fine blade, wish I had it."

The talk drifted away to other subjects, helped on by my own interest in misleading him. Yet, when we were ready to depart, he gave me a squinty eye look.

"Oh, and don try going for that Sword, it's suicide." The warning rattled me. I'm not sure if he thought I would heed him or not. The next day a subordinate informed me the captain was taking off for an urgent assignment.

That was seven months ago. It didn't take much to confirm Auver's story: any knight of Hylia, with enough ale, will readily recount the "secret" knighting ceremony. I did as much research as possible. An old fart in the forest taught me everything about Old Hylian magic used here. The servants and maids are proud or malcontent, and give up descriptions rather voluntarily. My plotting became as thoroughly conceived, as well sharpened and honed as I had ever laid in the quest for what was not mine.

At the break of morning, when the castle was changing shifts, and the occupants hazy and tired and least prepared, I made my move.


	5. The Theft

Author's Note: Long chapter. Realized the innuendo and violence was getting or would likely get stronger, so increased the rating.

_______________________________________________________________________

**Chapter Five: The Theft**

I know the castle quite well by now, as well as any of the occupants. In fact, I was an occupant, and not before being incarcerated there either. It's a grand old place, and just by looking at it I knew (or thought I knew) what the greatest difficulty would be. The sheer size of the building would get me lost. The more I saw and read, the more I believed that I would be spending days searching the place for the mystical sword. Or I would also need to find concealed avenues of penetration and escape. The thought vexed me for awhile, as to how I could shorten my visit to Hyrule Castle. It only gradually came to me... that I was assuming things. As a thief of wit, one should never assume something. I took it for granted that staying inside too long would have me discovered and caught.

While talking with the servants and guards about the castle, I learned about the virtual army of attendants you keep. The place is its own small city, and that many of the residents didn't know each other.

I went up to a maid, and asked, "Hallo! I'm a friend of Mabeya (Mabeya was another maid I had met before)."

And the lady would reply, "What hun? Who's Mabeya?" She hadn't a clue who I was talking about, even after a description. "Don't know her."

Well, then, if they don't know their own staff, they can't be expected to spot a fresh face, I thought. This was about the time I figured out I didn't have to be quick. My plan, my oh so simple plan- disguise myself as a castle servant, and use the disguise to explore every nook and cranny for the bastion to the sword.

There were a few problems, admittedly.

Firstly, gender roles have been set in the castle. Rather, not to say your nation is sexist, but that you have some in-born desire for boys to be knights, and girls to be ladies. Obstacle one, then, was that all youthful males within the castle walls served as squires, who had highly regimented lives. Passing off as a squire might work, if I could master all the rules and regulations a martial life-style commanded. However, gaining free reign to walk about the castle as one? Impossible. I'd draw suspicion immediately.

Was there any possibility that a young male might exist otherwise? I thought I could be a minor noble's son or relative or retainer, or just a young looking guard.

From other interrogations, I learned that there were not so many nobles, and that anyone with a shred of dignified blood was known throughout the castle. New arrivals were watched with intense interest. It's a secret past time, among the squires and maids, treating the nobility like celebrities.

As for masquerading as a guard or guard-in-training, every soldier I came across did not in the least treat me with seriousness. It was one of the reasons they gave information so readily. However, I felt put off by their comments. Typically:

"You look kinda little."

"Shrimpy boy."

Or the most explicit comment I remember, "You're not much. You'd need another five inches and fifty pounds to be a soldier. And maybe a scar or two."

Or the most demeaning, "You look like a babe. Care fer a drink, or not old enough?"

To put it short, I wasn't optimistic as trying to pass as anything remotely military in the castle.

Well, considering all of this, I came up with two options:

Messenger boys do indeed visit the castle on a regular basis. These young men are thin and swift, like me, to deliver the more urgent military messages (though rumor says you use magic crystals for the truly important matters). Not the best option, as these boys do not live or work within the walls, but lounge for some minutes or an hour, to catch their breath or await a message. Not a length of stay that I needed.

The second option, was a maid disguise. The role of a maid is ideal for what I wanted. They stayed around the castle doing miscellanies chores, they are self-sufficient, loosely supervised, and there are many of them, so that blending into anonymity would be easy. With the obvious caveat.

You know, I feel like I have to be very long-winded here. The entire point for detailing my reasoning so much are for one sole reason: To explain why I appeared in a female's gown at the servants quarters that day, and some time afterwards.

...

You'll see where this is going later on. Suffice it to say, I was uncomfortable with the direction my genius plan had taken me. I constantly had to remind myself that a legendary sword lay at the end of this.

At this point Zelda and Link interrupted:

"You were a maid?" "You dressed like a girl?" They asked simultaneously.

"For two weeks." I replied.

"I don't recall you...."

"Nor I you. Princess; do you even realize how many people it takes to run your castle? I've heard of you, but in that time I was there, I never even saw you. As for you Link, you were away most of the period, and you know the rest..."

"But a girl?"

"You'll see that this was not nearly the worst of it."

"Well- go on."

It was easier than I thought. I did disguise myself as a messenger boy. I spotted one on his way inside. I nicked a card from him, as he was carrying a bundle. I got the appropriate attire, and a satchel containing my equipment, and brushed right past the dozen or so guards waving that note. I found the poorest looking mook of an officer I could find, and told him I was sent to deliver kitchen utensils and this note, since the last lad had carelessly forgotten it on the side of the road. The officer was smarter than I thought, and drilled me for two minutes. Thankfully, it was mostly about the note's circumstances, and not me personally, that the soldier was interested in. I managed to brush off most of the questions, and guess the messenger boy would get a beating later.

Once inside, I tip-toed past the wary guards and/or sleepy-eyed servants. They were just getting up to do early chores, not paying attention to me at all. Soon as I found the nearest dorm and a hiding spot, I donned my next disguise.

Well.... twas a frayed dress. A loose one too. With some make-shift cosmetics, I looked like a dirty, tired, short-haired girl. Not a pretty one either.

I had also brought a cassock, dirty from ashes.

Your maids are usually clean and tidy beings, taking daily baths. However, one job does get them messy beyond recognition, and that's the furnace keepers. They attend the little fires and braziers and ovens about the castle, to keep it warm at night. The one I had met, Dorin, said she and the few others never got as much sleep and felt like this was a punishment of a job. The other girls didn't want to associate with the night shift, and they were left to their own devices during the late hours. Twice a perfect match for my plans.

So I found the least crowded dorm, announced "I'm tired!" in the meekest voice I could, and flopped into bed. That evening, I was rudely awakened by the head-mistress and told to get to work (along with "Go to your own dorm tomorrow, we don't want your filth on our beds!). I obeyed. It was time to get to work, anyhow.

It took one night to find the Master Sword. You actually don't make a big secret of it. It was right in that courtyard, fairly obvious. I found it by accident, I was just touring the castle that one night to become familiar with its layout. I just about hugged myself, and forgetting any caution, went and grabbed the beautiful thing. Well, it was... an interesting feeling.

Link nodded at this point. "You saw your life flash before your eyes."

More like, well, accurate enough. But it felt like it was being rolled out at an agonizing pace, and it felt like something was weighing the moral merit of each and every moment of my life.

It judges one based on the contents of their heart and mind. It, the sword, rejected what it found there. I felt awful, mentally, like a megaton anvil had crushed my internal balance. Guilt, is the emotion I would use. But it was transient. After that, the rejection merely came in a refusal to be magical in any way, shape, or form, except in its undue stubbornness in staying in that damnably damned and insufferably obstinate rock. I hope my language is vulgar and understood in the worst interpretation as such, because I wouldn't want anyone to mistake the fact that I HATE THAT PEDASTAL.

This was, at first, merely a nuisance. In retrospect, the loathing became more deep-seated and genuine.

As much as I tugged and pulled and levered myself, I could not pull the sword from that impertinent pedestal. It was time for another approach, and my first suspicion was that I needed magic. I found the library and spent three days sneaking into the reserved sections, via distraction and stealth, to find more information about that sword in the stone. All readings pointed merely to the fact that the sword itself was responsible, and no one understood the sword's magic. It simply was. I wanted to gag after awhile, as every single text worshipped that blade to the point of slavishness.

Keh. A single line in a single book made reference to the pedestal, and I only got to read it once as I hid out atop the bookshelf, wedged between a rafter and the wall. A guard had patrolled through on the late watch, something they hadn't done the other two nights. It scared me enough that I ninja'd my way out as soon as he had wandered to the other side of that labyrinth.

It said that the pedestal had been moved from the "Lost Woods" to the courtyard, out of reverence for the Hero's discovery and claiming of the sword there. Now, the more I thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. Were these Hylians so stupid to move a multi-ton chunk of rock over dozens of miles for sentimental value? I went to take a look at the thing the next day. Around the edges it was cracked, there were chips in it, and it was dirty all over. In other words, it was a very old piece of stone, and worn out as such. It was an ordinary rock, and seemingly, the mysterious magic that lodged the sword did not extend to the rock itself. Or so I thought.

Well, that was easy. I pilfered a chisel and hammer and whacked away. To my abhorrence, the stone did not yield so much as a chip. Baffled, I then stole a sledge hammer and applied that to it. After ten or so whacks, with my arms ringing, I inspected the target. Not a scratch. If this stone was not magical, and I was seriously wondering if I had been wrong on that point, then it was certainly unreasonable in the extreme.

I risked a conversation with Euscas, one of the advisors. He snoozes and drinks a lot in the evenings, in the north parlor.

"Sir, I had a question."

"Oh ma dear? Hurur."

"Well," I was still incognito, and I thought my feminine imitation was horrible. Luckily Euscas was drunk as a duck and didn't have the ears nor eyes to rat me out. "I've gotten into a pickle with my friend, or should I say confident. She's a noble lady who visits here on occasion, and asks me about the place. The other day, she sees some fine stone, and remarks 'What lovely masonry! What beautiful marble... ah I don't think that's marble. That, I have never seen. What kind of stone is it?' I didn't know what kind of rock it was either, though she nagged me about it the rest of her stay."

"Well, my girl, what stone exactly were we talking about? I myself am a geologist, among other things, and if there is a stone in this building I can't identify, I may surely resign!"

So I lean in close, and whisper in his ear, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Oh of course!"

"It was that work that the Royal Family's blade is in, you know."

"Ooooooohhh, my dear, my dear, my dear." He stared at me with drooping eyes, and a most sage look. "You inquire upon the sacred domain upon which rests the Master Sword. The finest of minerals the kingdom has ever known!"

"Yes, but what kind of mineral is it? My friend would love to know, for she wants to build a mansion with it."

Euscas smiled, then burst into laughter. "Ohoho! Does she now? Well, your friend has quite a taste, and ambition, but she will be disappointed. That which holds the Master Sword is Marble of Mather, one of the rarest of all stones. Why, to build a shack of Marble of Mather would cost more than the whole of the castle, and the combined property within, and probably the properties of Castle Town as well. I would wager that pedestal constitutes, by weight, the majority of Mather in the entire world!"

"Oh... I'm glad to have an answer, but my friend will be disappointed."

"A terrible pity." Euscas finished his glass of Chateau Vignon Dotet wine in one gulp. "What a sight to behold- a mansion made of that stuff. Fascinating. Which reminds me, I am also an architect, if your friend should be in need of-"

"I have to go back to my duties, now, sir."

"Oh won't you stay longer, pretty giril? Hicup!" Euscas is a strange person. Till now he had been sipping his wine, but the sudden draught made him instantly drunk.

"I need to go! Hey!" He had his arms groping for me.

"Cmere, we shall talk- hiccup - of towers and buttresses, and chambers, oh yes, especially chambers..."

At that point I brought a nearby candelabra down on his lumpy head, adding one more lump. Making sure he was out, I scudded off.

On the sixth night I snuck into the library, again. Yet another guard not only patrolled in there, but floated about the place as if wanting nothing to do but read book titles. I nearly strangulated myself, trying to hold my breath. We played a perverse cat and mouse for an hour or so, him walking about, me creeping about. When at last he simply sat down in an isolated corner (I thought it was to nap, but he actually pulled a scroll out and began reading), I snuck off with an ancient geological text.

Among the properties of Marble of Mather: One- It never corrodes from air, rain, snow, or wind. Two - It completely resists any metal object applied to it (which would explain my failed sledgehammer exertion). Three- It _is_ magical. Four- It can only be destroyed by hellfire, or something equivalent. Five- To cut it, one needs a sufficiently powerful blessing. To crack it, one needs something sufficiently unholy. Six- It is stronger than mithril armor, the force needed to damage it must be sudden and extreme.

In short, something that is hot, does not rely on a metal puncture, has a sudden, heavy impact, and is not blessed by the gods. Why, there is such a thing that meets all of those criteria.

Bombs.

Explosives can crack and bust apart Mather. It is not a perfect solution, but the only one available. And where to find such devices. Why, a bare one hundred paces away was the center of military operations for one of the most powerful nations in the world. Might they have bombs?

Why, yes, they do. Just a short stroll beyond two guards, a four inch thick steel door, booby traps, alarm triggers, and failsafe buffers. No problem.

I messed around with the guards, to figure out who was on duty by the armory at any given time. It was harder to keep my cover than to actually glean information from them. These soldiers are far from competent intelligence officers. Though, I knew enough to stay away from the Royal Guard. Those guys have no sense of humor or humanity.

There were three guards, Merco Duncloe, Calian Graceweather, and Forrester-something. While the second post rotated out, one of these three were always present by the armory. They were Arms Masters, not only responsible for safeguarding the armory, but managing everything within it. They held the post in shifts of eight hours. Conveniently, a maid was relegated to bringing them meals while on duty.

I bluffed the maid on duty into letting me take the tray out. For lunch today it was hallock-pots and venison. Hallocks is some kind of stew, the pot is a hollowed out bread loaf the stew is poured into. The venison was cooked through and tough. I picked off a large jug of ale from the cellar, pouring a generous amount into the stew as well as grabbing a pair of cups, forks, and knives. Off I went to the armory. The armory...

I placed the bundle of explosives under my improvised bed.

"Wait." Drats, they caught on. "Weren't you headed to the armory for those bombs? Did you skip something?" Link asked.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh you can't say that. You ought to tell everything, because missing links leave people unsatisfied."

"No, leave it alone."

"Hey, now..."

"I said LE-" but I swung my fist in the midst of this statement, hitting a broken beam and putting a gash in my hand. I screamed in pain, loud enough that even the King woke up.

Zelda tried to shanty her way over, presumably to help me, but between the pain and Link's impudence, I didn't want to cooperate.

"Thiel, let me help you."

"No!"

"It's alright, we can enjoy some quiet," one of the attendants spoke out loud for the first time. The second attendant countered him.

"Sherup yourself. Laddy, let the princess do her thing and get on with the story!"

After much haggling, and half-hearted attempts at compromise, they eventually agreed to leave the scene at the armory alone. I gave them a made-up summary about drugging the gaurds to sleep, but not before some lewd gestures, hoping it would satisfy them. It worked, for now, at least. The princess tended my hand, making a grimaced but understanding face when she saw the many scars it bore.

"Thiel, you suffer because you hold so many painful secrets. I won't force them from you, but I believe sharing them is for the best."

"Hmm."

"But, I won't force it. We can move on."

"It's probably too embarrassing to listen to," said the bellicose servant as an after-thought.

I sighed, and continued.

Twas my fifteenth day in the castle. I had planned on waiting awhile longer, but Link had just arrived at the castle with something like eighty soldiers. I saw you from the rampart, and panicked. The castle became a lot rowdier and more crowded, and after the armory... I didn't want more to worry about. I was on edge. So I ran back to the servants quarter. A few girls were trying to sleep; they yelled at me, but I don't think they realized who I was and only wanted to get back to slumber.

I changed out of that mucky dress, stuffed the bombs into it, grabbed my jacket, and sprinted to the courtyard. By then the entire castle was busy. I got a few shouts telling me off, but still no one guessed I wasn't supposed to be there.

Took all of twenty seconds to rig the bombs. They went kaboom, I'm left choking on the dust, trying to look at my handiwork.

It was a little surprising, to see the beautiful thing creaking over. The Mather hadn't taken that much damage, but a crack had cut into the bite, loosening it up. I gave the handle an experimental jerk. Again that wave of nauseating recollection came over me. This time, however, it seemed like the sword said "guilty!" but allowed me to carry it anyways. I tugged, but whatever magic that held it to the Mather was stubborn. The hole hadn't been completely shattered; the blade was still held in by what was mostly dust and crumbs. Hard to describe, really. If this were a sapling in the earth you'd have to debate whether to drag it up or go find an ax. Of course I couldn't chop the sword, so I simply started tugging. It was heavy as an anvil. My whole strength barely managed to bring it up a few inches, till it was out of the bite.

The memories came back, again. It kept going back to my worst moments, kept edging me away. There were thoughts in my head asking if I was worthy, if I even knew what worth was, or courage, or wisdom, or strength. These thoughts, it's hard to describe them.

I looked to Link, and for the first time noticed that the weapon was sheathed on his back.

"What's it like for you?" I asked of him, gesturing to the blade.

"It's become common nature, so I tend to forget about it. I get so focused on the matter at hand, like the monsters who are threatening or the obstacles in my path. I suppose, since I use it for the greater good, the sword doesn't interfere, but helps my will. It wants to fight evil."

"Hmm."

"What of it?"

"Not like it has a mind of its own, but it inspires feelings inside us."

"That describes it well," Link replied.

The feelings it was giving me at that moment - they were there, but at this point, they were only feelings. Once out of the Mather, whatever blessing held that sword in place was gone.

"But here's something I think you have wrong. That blessing isn't limited to the pedestal." Link seemed keen to talk about the Master Sword, but I sensed he was coming to a point. "That blessing is inherent to the Sword, it would not break just by pulling it out."

"Thiel, you said the sword found you guilty. But I think you're lying to yourself, or else undercutting yourself. That sword will not tolerate an evil-doer, or someone with selfish aims. It would sink to the ground and become as untouchable as a blacksmith's hot brand. Somehow, you were... allowed to carry it."

"Is that..." More memories surfaced, ones I had not yet created at this point in the narration. A certain conversation...

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

I said nothing else for a pause.

"Thiel, don't shut yourself up again," the princess begged.

"It's not that, it's... I need a few minutes. To think."

"Oh, very well."

I was thinking, but the train of thought was difficult. Sighing, I decided I had quite a bit of meaningless exposition before me. Perhaps if I could drag this tell-all out, we would be rescued, or perish, before I came to the painful bits- Before I needed to confront these kinds of questions.

"And then?"

"And then, well.... I picked it up, wrapped it in that same dress I had used for the bombs, and well.... that's when you burst in."


	6. The Escape

**Chapter Six: The Escape**

"Need I explain this? You know what basically happened."

Link gazed at the wall, and Zelda's gaze changed between me and him. What was he thinking? Was he trying to recall the events? By the looks of it, Zelda did not know the details. Details. Did they need to know the details? Why? For that matter, why was I giving them such specific narrations?

I know why, of course. I don't want to admit it though. Time.

I began again, without waiting for their answer:

Due to the panic of the time I hadn't really thought it through. In fact, at this point I had abandoned a lot of the good habits (I use "good" objectively here) I had formed for my profession. I was stressed and having to think fast.

"Villainy!" I shouted and rushed past you, Link. I didn't have time to see what you were doing, I just assumed you caught on and were chasing me. Nor did I pay attention to my route, just that I needed to get somewhere fast. From here minutes passed by in seconds, all the world seemed sped up. These measurements of time are only guesses, on my part. It took something like 3 minutes, maybe 10, to notice there wasn't anybody in my immediate vicinity. When my breath had run out, I was in some basement room, who knows where. Though alone, I heard a commotion above and down several hallways. Apparently the entire castle had been alarmed.

I made my way to a corridor. I knew it well enough; because it parallels the Grand Foyer but is out of the way, I often used it when I had to travel during the day. From there I went to a little gate that I also remembered. An out of the way squire's passage, I guess. It looked unguarded and unbarred, so I just walked straight through.

But now I see why I had to invent a disguise to get inside the castle in the first place. You have shock barriers, and these were activated when the alarm spread. I ran into it at full sprint; the barrier blew me neat across the corridor and into the wall, knocking the air out of me. My back was bruised and my face in particular felt burnt because of the shock. Then "_thump thump thump thump_" and I knew soldiers were coming.

"Hoy!" or maybe "Halt!" or something was shouted at me. Spent the next thirty minutes playing cat and mouse through the castle. Whoever was directing you guys, brilliant coordination. Cordoned off every escape, so that you didn't have to catch me so much as pull a noose over my general location. You got me pent in the western bastion, eventually, not that much room left. That's when I spotted you again, and the other dozen or so g-men.

"You looked scared," said Link.

"Hells yes."

I didn't want to be caught. I looked out the window, and lo, there's the moat. It was thirty feet? Three floors, but nice and deep. Between an iffy jump into iffy water, and you, Link. You don't look like you do now, not in battle. More menacing, maybe. I took my chances with the moat.

So I grabbed the wrapped-up sword to my chest and threw myself out that window. There was a _whoosh_, then I hit the water, and it hurt.

Not just _ouch, that hurts_!, try to comfort myself and lick the pain away. Nor the kind of injury you crawl into a bed and wait to get better. It was the kind of pain that incapacitates a human. I blacked out completely for a while.

Fortunately for my escape, it was a remote part of the trench, practically under the hanging forests. I had drifted onto some roots before sinking, and still had my booty. The nearest exit was... I forget. No one else was in sight when I limped out of the water, but I could hear a lot of faint shouting.

I wanted to go north because I knew Castle Town lay south, and other towns were east and west. Something you probably didn't know, I was too exhausted and hurt to move much. I found a nearby thicket and a creak gully, lodged myself into the underside of an overgrown bank, and passed out. I think you guys picked up part of my trail, lost it, and assumed I was still going north.

That night your army was all over the northern woods, and the next day. I didn't move out till the evening after that, when it seemed like you all moved elsewhere. Still, I saw torches lurking about, and kept getting forced northwest by your parties. Only reason I wasn't caught was that you guys still thought I was ahead of you.

Link interjected:

"We had no idea where you went. I thought you might have fled westward after all, but like you said, it was more populated. I sent word for the garrisons out that way to be on the lookout. I joined the northern search party simply because it was more difficult terrain to cover. When we lost your tracks, we started northward again. The search line became too broken up and I almost gave up, so I just started forming a perimeter with the men. Then...."

Then I was spotted opposite the boulder field, that morning. I was looking for something to eat; I hadn't filled my stomach in days. I saw some wild veggies under one of those rocks, thought no one else was around. Hardly found a root before your knights appeared. Again I got lucky, as all the rocks impeded their horses as they crossed the field. Still, your men had my location again, and started corralling me.

North north, always north. The knights were persistent. I never got much sleep or rest, and though I was seldom seen, I never got far without being forced to change direction at the sight of your cavalry. It was getting cold out, and about the sixth morning I was shivering violently. My knees couldn't keep me upright. I thought, repeatedly, of giving up and asking for mercy.

Then a little voice I call pride shouted at me, gave me a little bit more stamina. A few more steps, another few steps, I thought I might die from the effort. Every little bit of energy I eked out kept me free that much longer. Yet there is a limit to every mortal body. I had reached mine.

There was a field, more like cliff side or a cross of the two. It was here a tendril of the mountains dove into the Hyrulian wilderness, creating a rocky island amidst a sea of trees. On one side, the southern face, where I came from, there were the typical deciduous maples. Along the northern face of this enclave were darker pines of some sort. There was a gloom about those pines. They were taller, denser, darker than any tree-line has a right to be. When I stopped just to breath, I had a glimpse of those woods. A shiver ran through me, one not caused by fatigue. Despite this ill feeling, though, I needed to keep running. So I edged near those pines.

A cliff of rock and dirt and shrubs separated the forest from the enclave. Out of that forest ran a stream. It bubbled out and cascaded down the rocks, clinging to the cliff edge till it ran out of sight. Tiny pools formed here and there, mostly where vegetation had dammed the flow. I was walking along, looking for a decent footing at these pools, when my foot slipped on wet moss. I tumbled in, smacked my back against the ground, and couldn't move. I could not physically get back up.

I couldn't care what happened to me, so long as I survived this day. Survival. That was my primary thought. I realized my right hand was freezing, and found it lying in the eddies of that stream. My arm, at least, was willing to move. I scooped as many handfuls of water as I could, feeble traces less than a sip, before even my arm gave out for lack of strength.

My back seemed broken. It felt like it was sundered at every single joint. I could not move my legs, I could not feel my toes. I could feel my chest, but only to sense a heavy pain every time I took a breath. I passed out shortly after. The last that I remember of that day was the sun dancing in and out of the shadow of the swaying trees.

What woke me up? I can't say now. It was like coming out of a dream, except I could not remember what the dream was, or if I even had one. Nor could I remember what I was doing, even though I was moving about and acting. When my mind caught up to my body, I was standing. I didn't feel nearly as awful as I did last night, and at the time, I could not explain that either.

Still, what I did see and feel wasn't any better.

It was near sundown. I saw you, Link, directly approaching me. Along the maple tree-line were the torches and grim faces of your men. My wish was granted, ironically. I might have lived through the day only to be captured at last.

- At this point Link (in the present) turned away from me, and I was mainly addressing the princess. I could guess why. -

Link told me to stay still. Again, he looked larger, brighter, more powerful than a mere man. He has an aura in battle. I suppose an aura of judgment. Call it what you will, I was terrified. I thought this was definitely the worst point in my life, I was sure it would be my last.

"Stay still. Don't move. Stay still. Still. Still. I don't want to have to kill you." Link kept ordering me to stay still, to be calm, to not fight. Yet all the while he was carrying his own sword (it was rainbow colored, and gilded. A fairies' sword?). Whatever he was saying did not reach my conscious.

What was I thinking?

Don't kill me.

Don't get near me.

That's a weapon. It's pointed at me.

He's going to kill me.

I'm going to die.

I don't want to die.

I'm going to die.

No.

Don't kill me.

Don't come closer.

Don't.

Don't!

No!

I thought I was shouting these commands at the top of my lungs, and Link kept closing the distance, ignoring my pleas. I hadn't said a thing. But I thought... But I was consumed with fear.

And without thinking, I drew the Master Sword. I ignored the pain, ignored the weight, ignored the burden on my heart and mind, and just charged Link, screaming.

I can't remember each individual sword stroke. It's hard to keep track of anything in combat. Perhaps feelings. I remember general thoughts I was having as we traded blows. Thoughts of battle tactics intermingled with my continuing hysterity. Thoughts such as "he parries a lot," or "why can't I gain the initiative." The two major themes I got out of it were "I'm going to die! I'm afraid! I don't want to die!" and "I'm cut, I'm bleeding, he's good, he's better, this fight will end with a deathblow before either of us tire out."

Those two strains of thought converged. We had begun roughly in the center of the slope, but had backed up to a point where the ridge, the cliff edge, and the woods converged. Had I looked, the ominous pine woods were no longer on higher ground, but rapidly fell away. There was a valley cut into the mountains, a deep, heavily forested valley. No sun penetrated through the hundred-foot trees. Even the trees were different, no more broad-leafed annuals, or thin needle-leafed evergreens, but boughs full of black, claw-shaped leaves. Our final confrontation was before this gloomy overlook.

The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, only its last halos reached out, barely illuminating the sky, to say nothing of the darkened earth. I gritted my teeth, gripped the Master Sword, and began attacking.

Thinking I was about to be finished, I let go of any and all calmness. They were reckless attacks I dealt out: over, under, side-to-side, long, hefty, powerful strokes that took too long to recover when they did not connect. Each time Link parried, I could feel the sword handle reverberating, not just from the blow, but the sword itself felt like it was trying to hurt me, like I was not supposed to win this fight. Still, I gave one last overhand swing with as much force as I could muster. Link dodged aside, and turned to counter me...

But I had kept going, carried by momentum, too shocked to even react, as I plummeted over the edge into that black forest.


	7. Into the Darkness

**Chapter Seven: Into the Darkness**

I have never seen a ghost, per se, but it seems reasonable that they exist. I've beheld rotting corpses rise to attack me. I once escaped a Poe, which is not a ghost, but a spirit creature none-the-less. History books and wives tales are rife with stories of the departed, typically those with unfinished business. That is to say, it seems reasonable that there is life after death. That fact ought to be comforting.

The greatest part of the fear surrounding mortality is the unknown. No one knows what happens when we die. But ghosts exist, sometimes. So there is a good chance we go somewhere, we live on in some way. That reassurance doesn't completely diminish the fear that sways over our head like some sword held by a silk-strand. In what way we live on is impossible to say. And there's still the possibility that nothing awaits us all. Maybe ghosts are illusions. Maybe only those who witness tragedy in life live on, and the rest of us cease to exist.

Sometimes I lose hope and think there is nothing in the here-after, that there is only oblivion...

Or there might be _**Hell**_.

When I regained consciousness, I thought I had died and been taken to such a place.

The night had set in, though I would not have known anyways. The trees were thick and suffocating. I couldn't see my hand in front of me, let alone the starry night through the tangled, warped, thorn-ridden canopy. It was cold, too, and damp. The weight of the atmosphere pressed in, denying breath, warmth, or any comfort. It reminded me, too strongly, of the time I had been drug under the ocean waves. It was like drowning.

I tried to stretch out, to feel my surroundings out. My left hand sloshed in mud and some soggy leaves, my right hand felt a root.

"Ouch!" My right hand shot with an exceptional pain. A thorn, the size of a pocket knife, had pierced between my thumb and forefinger. Worst, blindly groping at it to try to pull it out, I didn't realize its sickle-shape. The thorn dug a gash across my palm, evoking an even louder "AWRGH!" from me.

I dumped my hand into the water, to see if I could numb the wound. In a minute, I could not feel anything from my hand, and jerked it out. My hand- it did not feel like _mine_. When I grasped it with my other hand, it felt cold but living; but no feeling came from the hand itself. It felt- undead. A fear came that the thorns or water were poisonous, and that I might lose my appendage. The fear passed as feeling returned to my hand, albeit the feeling was mostly pain from the gash.

It was still difficult to stand. I could though. Just having the strength for that meant I had been knocked out for awhile. Yet I was not rejuvenated. My throat was parched for lack of water, my stomach winced from lack of food, and the various wounds shot waves of pain every time I moved. Still, if I had been knocked out, the Hylians had had plenty of time to search for me. When I fell, it could not have carried me farther than the hill. Through the darkness there was no way to tell how far I had gone. Perhaps that very darkness had kept me hidden, I thought. Whatever the reasons, I was still free, and still apprehensive of loosing that freedom.

I could not see, so I lounged down into a crouch. I (carefully) poked around till I found a stick, then used it to guide myself forward. It was not easy. The land here was not a level, open forest. It rose and fell by a man's height at nearly the same intervals. Boulders and small cliffs were everywhere, as was the brush and trees. The going was not merely slow, even, but fractured. I had to sit and rest quite often, clutching my hand to keep it from torturing the rest of me. Other times I simply found myself in a dead-end, like when I felt a thicket of briars on three sides of me. Back-tracking took more time than actual progression.

How far did I make it? It was a question I asked myself then. 200 yards? 400? That was exaggerating. After clearing a pile of fallen trunks, I faced another cliff edge. This was far higher than others, so that I was looking above the underbrush and roots. Still the dark-leaf conifers towered above me. The air was a little better here. A tiny bit of moonlight came from above; so miniscule that it only let me see things, but did not tell me if what I saw was a gap in the trees or a mass of branches. Still, it was a slight relief, and I needed another nap.

This time I know I dreamed. I woke up not remembering what exactly the dream was, but I was sweating and gripped by fear. It had been a nightmare.

It was dark still. Had night not passed yet? But no, it was cool, not cold. The air had warmed up some. And some light did reach this area, outlining the canopy, rock formations, and other natural features. To see the details of all those was still impossible, but I was no longer crouching on my hind-legs, waving a stick to find my way forward. I began wandering off, with the vague notion that I needed to urinate, drink, and eat. And escape still. Though I hadn't heard of the Hylians at all, I still feared they might corner me again.

The way was rough. I picked a route along a cliff side, where the brush had left a treacherously narrow path that slanted downwards. At some point I took a breath to look at the view again. Below were trees and cliffs. Above were trees and cliffs. Opposite of me were trees, cliffs, and ridges. Everything in this forsaken wood was vertical. Where the bottom lay, I could not tell. Whatever sunlight managed to peak through to my location, it could not reach the bowls of the valley. There lay a pool of shadow. My gaze ended at a rock on the ridgeline that could hold me, and I started forward again.

As I took a long stride, a hand clutched my shoulder-blade and pushed. My foot never landed properly and I was stumbling forward too fast. My body went over the edge. My hand reached out, my right one, and caught a rock the wrong way. The gash, which wasn't even healed, was ripped open again. I never even had a grip. My left hand flung out, and felt a root. It clamped shut immediately. I was suspended by one hand and one arm over the side of a cliff.

Below me was a drop that I could not survive. Above me, I searched for whoever had tried to send me careening to my death.

No one.

No one at all was to be seen, or heard.

"Hey!" I shouted. Nothing. "Hey!" I shouted again.

What happened? Had they run off? Had they left me for dead already? Had I really felt that?

First, I needed to get back onto level ground. My feet were dangling in thin air. I kicked them about, luckily finding a dirt patch to the side. Digging in with the toe, and then the sole, I managed to boost myself over. Not boost, really, but roll over sideways, so that I lay on my stomach breathing hard. One hand was antagonizing me, the other was sore from carrying my body, my breath heaved. Yet I was solely thinking about a foe that might come back and finish the job.

"This... just... can't be happening."

This whole journey had been a mistake. Each hour I was getting hungrier, more banged up, more exhausted. Soon after my near-fatal trip I found a stream trickling down the cliff side. Even sipping it for ten minutes or more, I still felt thirsty unsatisfied. What's more, the water chilled my guts. Everything and everyone wanted to kill me.

Why? Why me? No, rather, just why. Why had I gone on this crazy quest? Why had I become a thief in the first place?

You wanted the damn sword.

I reached behind me to feel the sword. Since the moment I dashed out of the courtyard, I had only touched it once, to fight Link. I grabbed it for the second time, then, and lay it in my lap.

_I'll die for this_, I thought to myself, ruefully. It's a weapon. It kills things. This is just it's most cleverest way of killing, right?

I stared at the metalwork, studying it. It was, predictably, perfect. Not a single blemish or warping anywhere in its workings. No scratches. It could be a mirror, and indeed it was reflecting an image of the branches and brambles above.

My hand hovered over the blade, then gently touched it. Those feelings washed over me again. Guilt. Anxiety. Remorse. Regret. This time I wasn't distracted. And yet- well, it was bearable, this time. Of course I had those feelings now. I didn't need the sword's magic to tell me that I should never have attempted this idiocy.

Then I saw a figure in the blade's reflection. I couldn't make it out, but I didn't bother. I grabbed the sword, dropped it from the pain, picked it up with my other hand, and whirled around.

"Stop hiding!" I screamed at the empty terrain. "I know you're out here! I'm not seeing things!"

There was, of course, no reply.

"Damn it!" was all that I could say.

I know I saw someone in that blade. I know someone pushed me.

Or not.

I never never never should have taken this thing.

Emotions from holding the sword were mixing with emotions caused by fear. I set off down the path as fast I could muster. My lungs couldn't bear the burden, I forced them anyways.

I came to a landing. The cliff split up, giving me more room, but bringing me closer to that unlit floor of the valley. There were more options in travel now.

"There he is!" came a shout. I spun around, but saw no one. I ran onwards, not taking the deeper path nor the higher path, but one flat and a shade of violet.

The boughs closed in on all sides, till there was no longer a path. I was swimming through a world of vicious little branches, cutting myself everywhere. I slashed the brush wildly with the sword, trying desperately to get through.

On the other side I came upon the face of a cliff. There was no way to scale it, only passable paths to the left and right. A wind blew in from the left, rustling the leaves. They shivered and scratched louder than necessary. I took my chances with the left-ward path.

I lost the cliff wall. I broke through a bough, to find myself at the juncture of paths again. Again?

How'd I end up back here? There was no way I could have gotten turned around. I was pacing back and forth, dazed, angry. I spotted a crack in the wall that might be climbable. Wait. That crack had not been there.

I was now confused. That crack had definitely not been there, had it? I took a look around, and something felt off. My logical bit of mind told me that this was a different cliff face. I took the left path again, hoping that I was right, that my eyes were paying tricks on me. The tree limbs and clawing leaves, ever in my way, did not help me confirm the route.

Death is wasted on cowards, I thought.

"What?" What had I just said? No, thought?

"Death is for who?" I asked myself.

Wait, was it me asking that?

Yes, it was you.

"Who are you?"

Why are you asking yourself questions?

I... I didn't say that. No, think that.

What? Again?

Yes, again.

I wasn't paying attention. I tripped over weeds, falling on my face. A thorn caught me across the eye. No, not the eye, though the pain felt like it was coming from there. Just behind my eye. A warm, wet substance dribbled down the side of my face.

That's your blood.

I know that.

"_I know that!_" I said.

You'll die here.

Why am I thinking of death so much. Exclusively of it, no less. I should be paying attention. I should try to escape. Escape what? This forest, this nonsense.

You should not die.

"Yes, of course, it's simple right?"

"There! Over here!"

I got up and plunged into the thickest brush. My feet jumped through at sprinting speed. I collided with something. It didn't feel like a log or rock. It was soft and heavy.

I tried to grab it.

No, nothing substantial.

But that was a body. A person. I swore I had clutched a person.

There's nobody here.

Keep going!

"Stop telling me... I know! I need to go!" I said.

My breath was not regular. It was trying to heave, for lack of air, but instead it was short and rapid. It was unsettled and eating at me. My heart was beating like-wise.

That's not your heart.

It felt like when one has been up for far too long. That eerie feeling of false restedness. Where the senses say "we're fine!" but they're anything but. I felt sick.

And why not? I haven't had a proper rest in three weeks!

You haven't eaten properly in one week. Just roots and wild nuts.

Cake would be nice right now.

Or that hallocks pot.

"ENOUGH!" I swung the Master Sword straight into the ground, leaning my weight into it. My right hand gripped it, but I felt no pain.

The woods around me whispered. There was rustling.

It's fake, there's no one there.

Don't lie to yourself.

Don't mess with yourself.

ME? I.

You're talking to yourself. That's strange, almost delusional.

No you're thinking to yourself. Everyone does that.

Stop thinking if your thinking makes you crazy.

Like what?

About me, I hadn't even noticed, but it turned to night. No, far above, there was a glimmer, a little bright spot that was blinding to stare directly at it. All else was bathed in absolute darkness.

You cannot see in darkness.

Yes, but other, hostile things cannot see in darkness either.

"But evil things can see through shadows."

"Do they have some special ability?"

"It's their element."

"I must stop carrying out internal conversations out loud."

"But these aren't your private thoughts."

"Yes it..." I stopped. That was someone else, I was not talking to myself.

Yes you were.

Stop that.

"Should you keep going?"

"Yes, you should stop listening."

"Which of these voices is me?"

Perhaps you should start by determining which voices are in your head and which you are actually hearing, whether or not you're just hearing your own voice.

Advice, but from who?

Yourself.

"They're coming."

Who are they?

Go!

I rushed head long into.

And then there was none.

Say that.

Not what in help ran to empty it...?

I couldn't see, but I managed not to hit anything. And then...

And then there was you.

it was brighter.

Brighter, but only relatively so.

"Hehehehehe."

"I see him!"

I thought I heard something.

You're hearing lots of things.

Daisies.

Who did you see? Me? You?

Someone help me.

No, don't.

And all...

All should die.

Die? No.

Not you, of course.

"You mean me."

Me, you, us, I. Not I.

But they can die.

Miserably.

You're miserable.

I am.

Death is for good people.

When would.

Killing them?

I can't.

You must.

You mustn't.

You really can't, you don't have the strength.

Others do.

They have strength.

What does strength rhyme with?

We can use it against them.

Death is the high price of living.

Death is not kind.

I remember when I was child, mother-

Don't remember that, Father was more important.

No.

Yes.

Well, I can safely say your siblings were boring.

If you hadn't murdered them, they could have been better.

They weren't murdered, it was the plague...

They'd still be alive.

They are alive. Father died, not them.

No, it was mother.

Watch out for that root.

Woah! Yes, almost tripped again.

Trip one more time and I'll drown you.

In blood.

There's more sweat for the job than blood.

Drown someone else.

Yes, kill them all!

All too-

"**THIEL! STOP**!"

I didn't realize it. I had curled into a fetal position and was rocking and babbling, utterly incoherent. I didn't realize when I had gone out of my mind. I stared at Link, who was now staring intensely at me. By his side, Zelda was grasping him tightly. A look of horror was on her eyes.

"I'm- I'm sorry." I said. I was sorry. And I was scared. I had forgotten so much about the past. Even more than the events, I had forgotten how I felt. How certain memories can claw out of the murky waters and twist the mind, long after they were created.

"I didn't mean to.. relapse."

"What is wrong with you?" asked the shrinky attendant. I ignored him.

"This is part of the reason why I tried to stay silent. At the interrogation, and now. Link, I'm sure you have sad, tragic memories. But to be haunted by them, to be hurt by them... It's more than a mere broken heart."

"Can you continue?" he asked. "Or would that be too much?"

"I think I can handle it."

I was running blindly now. You've heard a sample of what was going through my mind at the moment. I couldn't be sure if I was going mad or if I was already insane. There were voices and images everywhere, and I ceased guessing how real they were. It was all a threat to me.

But it seems safe now, to say I heard someone shout "I've got him! Follow me!" Shortly after hearing that I had pulled the sword to my neck and was ready to lop my own head off, just to stop the voices.

Just then, I stumbled down a hill. I dug the sword into the dirt, stopping myself just short of an edge. At a standstill, I gazed in disbelief at the pit that had opened up. It was not just bathed in darkness. The trees had opened up and parts of the wood were now viewable. The shadows were confined to the deeper parts of the tree-line. No, this gap in the earth sank into a bottomless nothing. Where it ended, I could not tell, because a blackness concealed it. I do not say shadow, because it should have been lit. The gap in the forest was large, because this pit was large, and the sunlight should have reached down to that level. Instead, it was a solid blackness, a void that refused light. I had a bad feeling about this.

Looking more outwards, I realized I was at the bottom of the valley. There were parts where the canopy opened and I could the tree-tops rise in every direction. A craggy, bare mountain rose in the distance.

More immediately was this pit, which I realized was not a pit but a narrow canyon. That unnatural shadow covered its depths, and atop and about it a fine mist lay.

The randomness in my head had stopped, to be replaced by simple fear. What had appeared, very near me, was a squad of Hylian rangers. They had their bows drawn and pointed towards me. One was shouting at me, another was shouting even louder for reinforcements.

And the reinforcements came. Sixty some soldiers appeared between the trees, grim and dire looking. You, Link, came in short order. If I had been haunted by my own inner dialogue moments before, now I was a mere beast running on a cowardly instinct. Arrows flicked by me. I dared not, and on account of the thick underbrush, could not return to the thickets. Instead I had to follow the ravine's edge, trying my best to hop-skip from one rock to the next.

Above the general din I could hear Link, shouting to me or ordering others.

There was a point where the ravine turned sharply, carving out a hollow in the cliff side. I was faced with solid rock and no other path. I grabbed hold of some dead vines clinging to the rock-face, thinking to climb them. None would carry my weight, and I fell over twice. Then Link had caught up.

This hollow was darker than the rest. The great ghastly pines hung overhead. The mist had swelled, and I wasn't sure if we had dropped elevation, or if the mist had risen up to swallow us. I was trapped, and panicked.

"Not like this..." etc, and the banal conversation began anew. I had my back to the ravine and stared, terrified, as Link approached. He already had his weapon drawn, and he wasn't giving me warnings this time.

"Come to me." I thought Link said that. But his face changed and didn't appear to speak. I thought I was hearing things then. But Link's face was still contorted, and he stopped moving. His fairie sword was held ready now, but he was not looking at me.

A shadow fell over me. It was not the kind casted against light, but that unnatural shadow. It fell upon my arms when I noticed it. Though there was some small light, I could not see my arm for anything. I thought I had suddenly lost my appendage.

But the shadow moved, from one arm, to my whole body, to another, and to the ground. It was swaying, shrinking, growing, and mainly growing. Where it went, it obscured all in void. Meanwhile Link was just standing there, agape and a little frightened himself. The other Hylian Guards were backing away.

"_**AREEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARGGGHHHHH!**_"

I'll never, ever forget that unearthly roar. I doubt Link ever will either (he nodded his head in the affirmative). The shadow rose up, and passed over my head. Above me a giant thing twisted and slithered in the air.

"A dragon?" Similar, but this was less regal and more abysmal. A beast whose shadow consumes light, and wraps itself in that shadow. Save its eyes and mouth, where a deep blue fire foams out.

This thing, this leviathan, roared again, and then spewed a column of hellish violet flame in front of me. Link jumped away in time, and began running for cover. As did the rest of the Hylian guard.

They can burn. You will come.

I... don't... can't.... no....

I should, I suppose.

Like I had a choice.

The leviathan disappeared. It reappeared above the soldiers, spewing more flames. Wherever the flames touched, the plants _melted_ and the stone _burned_. Its long body and tail lashed wildly, and disappeared. It reappeared in front of a fleeing squad, where the tail caught them all and flung them high. It was not blinking about; the monster was moving faster than the naked eye can keep track of.

Moments later I saw a soldier get caught in the violet flame. His skin sloughed off, falling like oil over his own armor. Others were being killed, by flame and by muscle, in every direction. Some were thrown against the boulders with such violence that there limbs snapped off. Blood spewed everywhere; when touched by the flame, it boiled and let off sickly-colored tendrils of smokes. The forest about me was crashing, being destroyed as if by a tornado. The gusts of wind were blowing me. I could barely keep my feet.

The violence grew, it came faster and faster. Link was a flash of light, who was employing all of his magic and sword-skill to defend the main body of retreating soldiers. Some got away unnoticed. Some were saved, with Link warding off that flame. Others were caught, indescribably immolated. He couldn't land a blow on the creature. It whisked out his way. It became more violent, more wild, faster and stronger and bigger as it and Link battled. What was not set aflame was crashing down.

What should I do?

Stay on your feet?

No!

Please?

Oh goddesses they're dying. I'm dying. I'm dead.

The storm and the violence became too great, and I lost my footing. And I regained it, standing upright on the very precipe of that ravine. Time seemed to stand still. I could see the depths of the ravine and the leviathan all at once. The latter was now in the background, distant, dangerous and terrifying but not immediate. The abyss I now stared into, at hand, had changed. It was not an impenetrable blackness. It was... odd. It was like looking through a spyglass at a far more distant land. I saw what seemed like a world beneath my feet, too far to see details.

Time does not stop, though, and this passed before my eyes. I thought I was standing but, really, I was beyond my limit. The strains of exposure, wound, exhaustion, and hunger all summed at once, and as one, told my will "No more!"

I fell.

And as I fell, I passed away into unconsciousness. The last memory was my hand, my right hand, wrapped in that dress, staining it red with blood, trying to keep the faintest, meagerest grip on the Master Sword.

Then-

Darkness.


	8. Interlude

**Chapter Eight: Interlude**

I had been talking for an hour now. I was tiring out, and needed a break. Link and the burly attendant stood up, stretching as best they could. Zelda sat beside her father, seeing to his injuries. All the while the King had not moved or made a sound. He hadn't died, but fallen into a deep sleep. The princess gently roused him, to no avail. She held the only water of the group in her hand, and was trying to give him a few sips.

"Here." Link pointed to the wreckage of the stairwell. The two attendants moved forward to help him. "Daleph, grab there." The big man moved under the beam, bracing his shoulder against it. "Lucarde, help me." The wiry man took a stand beside Link.

"Ready. Set. Push!" The three strained with all their strength. The beam fell over onto a pile of debris. "Careful now. Stand back."

Link beckoned all of us to retreat to the far side of the chamber. It was small enough, and we were pressed in further by rubble. I hoped Link wouldn't bury us alive. Well, any more than we were already.

"All right." He took out the Master Sword. Even in this barely lit chamber it gleamed. It was a faint glow, not illuminating much. Yet I felt comforted by it. The blade whisked through the air, snapping a large column of wood in twain. Link leaped back, just in time. Stone and stair came crashing down, an avalanche that spilled over into the chamber. It kicked up a choking dust that filled the entire chamber.

"Father." Zelda used the hem of her dress to protect the king from the dust. Link had his hat to help him. I breathed it in all the same, ignoring the itching in my nasal and throat.

"Hmm." Link was prodding about, batting off loose ends and poking upwards.

"There's space. Not much. Not much at all." Daleph and Lucarde joined him.

"Someone skinny could fit through it," Daleph said.

"Who? The thief?" They turned to me. In answer, I raised my injured hand. "Guess not."

"I can," said Lucarde. "I'm all height, anyways." The man, standing upright, was tall, a full head above the other men present.

Link began instructing him. "All right. If I remember correctly, this stairwell had two or three outlets, but they ought to be locked. Though, this was disguised as a chimney at the very top. There's light up there, so it must still be intact. When you get out, watch out for monsters and such. Ganon's minions must still be occupying the area. Avoid the building, take to the rooftops, and use the north ramparts. Go to the Temple of Time, look under the Sage of Light's crest. If our backup arrangements worked, there should be something to guide you there. If not, get out as fast as possible. Flee, use your best judgment, find help."

"I understand. Never thought I'd be the one going on an adventure, though." Lucarde looked a little disturbed.

"You'll pull through," Link assured him.

"It's not that I'm scared, but I dislike this kind of business. I joined the royal estate to avoid the draft, you know."

"Get going Lucarde you coward," growled Daleph. He gave Lucarde a boost up. The latter wormed his way through. After a struggle and waving his legs about like a cuco dunked in water, he vanished. We could still hear him scraping and stomping as he climbed upwards.

"Hopefully, he'll make it." Link leaned back against the wall, then slid into a sitting position, legs splayed apart. Daleph let himself down beside him.

"I need to rest." So did I.

"Hoy, thief." I raised my brow. Daleph was addressing me. "When we wake up, I want to hear what happens next. Don't forget it." Without waiting for a reply, the man closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Sure." I took leave to shut my own eyes. Before slumber took hold, I contemplated my story. I hadn't told them anything yet. I could still stop. But there was no reason to stop. Nor any to continue. After the endless disasters, I no longer had the willpower to disagree. Yet....

Yet...

When I wake, I'll have to start remembering again. But first. Sleep. And then, they'll have to answer questions first.

For once, I dreamed. And I remembered my dream, and it wasn't some nightmare or sub-conscious manifestation. It was just me, and Link, and Zelda, and the King, and the advisors. But we weren't trapped in an underground dungeon, we were at a bar. There was no suspicion or dreary looks here. We were all smiling and laughing and telling jokes. The table before us was filled with cards. The one who said the most was the King, who was trying to explain this arcane card game to us. After what seemed an eternity, the men were rowdy and pouting because Zelda held the lion's share of chips. Link declared "It belongs to both of us, that's how marriage works, right?!"

I woke up, deeply disappointed that my dream was not real. We were still here, the five of us now, prisoners in a secret escape passage. I could appreciate the irony of it.

I looked to them. The other men were asleep still. The girl was awake, staring listlessly. She didn't glance at me or notice me.

Princess Zelda- She was born into royalty, I was born into near-poverty. We had begun at the far ends of the social spectrum, and had met at its middle. Or rather, we were both brought down to the occupation of victim. It was a fall for me, certainly. I had tasted wealth and power, but... I had begun here, and did not mind returning to this station. The journey had been worth it, but it was not enough, for me. Not enough... But what was it like for her? She who had never known rags and mud and serfdom, who had never felt the pain of hunger?

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, abruptly.

"How did you know?"

"I can hear your breathing. When a person sleeps, their breath is soft and steady. When they awake, their breath changes with their thoughts."

I took a deep breath, which triggered a deeper yawn. For some reason I smiled.

"Princess?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you love so much?"

"That's a strange question." That's not an answer!

"Call me jaded, but love only gives you a vulnerability, a way to get hurt. It feels so good, but it can be so painful. At least, shouldn't you save that love for something, rather someone, most dear to you?"

"Thiel, I sense your real question is, 'Why do you care about me'."

My silence might as well have been a 'yes'.

"It is painful, to lose someone you love. It's painful if they reject you, or waste that love, or abuse it. But for me, that pain is bearable. I won't let it get in the way of my feelings." She turned, finally, to face me eye to eye. "When I saw you, heard you, I saw a human who was suffering. Even as I heard your story, your pleas, I sensed you knew the pain of losing someone. No matter what you've done, I'll forgive it. You said you loved, once, and anyone who can feel that, can be redeemed. I hope you'll share that story, so that we can help you."

"I was loved. I'm not sure if I loved her back."

Zelda looked at me funnily. "You don't know if you loved them?"

"If only..."

"Hmm?"

"Never mind," I said, shaking my head. "I haven't said anything, of importance, yet. The real story, well, it doesn't matter much to them," gesturing at the men. "I could say I got out of the ravine, in the same condition, and that the stress caused me to return to the castle out of delusion. They'd take that at face value."

"But Thiel, that would not help you at all."

"I know."

"Something else happened, then."

"They said this was twenty-one, no, twenty-four days ago, now? To me," I took a deep breath, "Three _years_ have passed." Even the Princess, as stately and intelligent as she was, stood agape.

"Impossible," she whispered. I could be making this up, but would I, after being so serious? No.

"I've been buying time, procrastinating, so I wouldn't have to divulge this. That rambling I went into, that, that- insanity. That's only the first of it. You may care for me, but beware me. I'm not well."

"What- could possibly..." There was an expression of sadness in her eyes.

Link stirred, then Daleph.

"I'll tell you." Even though it might kill me.


	9. Her

**Chapter Nine: Her**

"You're alive."

"Uhhhhhh." I did not feel like it. Would it be my right hand, ripped up and bleeding? Perhaps my left arm, sore and stretched. No, my legs, tired and leadened. Could be my back, snapped in two and barely hanging together. Must be my head, wracked with a headache and twitching from a gash. There are those few dozen little cuts all over my skin too. Which, by the way, felt dirty, bruised, and raw. A stomach ache wrestled its way into the forefront, wracking waves of nausea. On top of that, it gave out pangs of hunger. The throat was parched, cracking from lack of thirst. All over was a feeling of helpless weakness. There was no more energy to do anything with. If this was life, I'd rather be dead.

"Don't roll over."

"Why?" I croaked out, hoping to hopes it wasn't a voice in my head I was talking to.

"You'll fall."

Again? I leaned my head over to get a look.

"WAOHA!" Add disorientation to my maladies. I was looking at clouds, but I was looking down. At clouds. And sky. Blue sky. With clouds. Downwards.

"Don't fall." With every bit of energy that existed in all the parts of my body, I lifted myself one inch away from that dizzying sight.

"Help. Me." I stuttered.

"Oh. Hmm." I rolled my head to the other side, towards the voice. A girl's voice. On this side it was sunny and cheery. A grass hill sloped gently downwards. There was a tree casting shade upon that slope. In that shade sat a girl.

"Please?" I begged.

"I'm sorry," she just said. Her head tilted to the side, eyes closed, smiling. A funny gesture full of innocence and duplicity. She opened those eyes to see me, still gasping for air, still begging for help. Dull blue eyes stared at me, neither hate nor comfort shown in them. She said, "I can't," in a defensive manner.

"Who are you?"

"Who are _you_?" was her answer.

"Who _are_ you?" was mine. She bit her lip, and I thought she might be gripped with indecision. No, in a second she burst out laughing. She rocked back and forth and let out great heaving piles of laughter.

"You're funny!"

I didn't see anything funny about it, but the sight of her bawling away like that was infectious. I began laughing.

"I have to go," she said, picking herself up.

"Wait!"

"Huh?"

"Why?"

"Because..." she looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Why- are you just leaving me? Are you even human?"

"Why would you ask that?" She looked even more puzzled. She sat back down, cross-legged. "Of course I'm human. Do I not look like it?"

"Well- ugh." I had tried to roll over, but a sharp pain lanced through my back and shoulder. "A human doesn't walk away from a dying person."

"Person? You? Who are you again?" she asked.

"Not this again."

"I don't understand you. No one says things like that."

We stared at each other, taking time to get used to this odd situation. It occurred to me, the more I looked at her, the more I thought:

"Cute."

"What?" I didn't answer, but she was cute- to me. We looked alike. Kind of. She was scrawny and average height, and had cut her hair short but didn't bother keeping it straight. It was pale, faded hair. Grey hair? Yes, it was grey, but she looked younger than me. No, not too much younger. How old was I? Never mind. Blue eyes, tiny nose, thin lips. When I said scrawny, I meant she was very thin but also flexible, the way she waved her arms and legs about.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"You said something, don't hide it! What did you say?"

"You're cute, that's what I said."

"You're weird," was her reply. She was frowning. I wanted to ask why, but then the pain got to me. Blackness infringed on my vision.

"I'm.. s- s-." I couldn't breath. "Sorry," I finally expelled. My eyes were closing, my senses were fading. Another slumber, I guess? Doubtful. I had just... woke... up.

"Hey, you can't do that!"

I felt her hands on my arms, shaking me. They pulled back, suddenly.

"No. Impossible."

There was a moment of silence. I couldn't see anymore. I couldn't breath. I was having trouble even thinking. And what thoughts I could muster was the simple awareness of the pain and numbness that were intermingling all over my body.

"Dwee" Maybe I heard that. It was muffled, and distant.

I felt another pain, a sharp sting. It just came, I don't know where from. There was a coolness. A better kind of numbness, not swollen and lifeless, but relaxing. Awareness, feeling, it was returning. This good feeling, it was on my lips, and in my mouth. It was spreading, soothing. To my nose, my throat, my eyes, my ears.

"That's it, drink up."

My blurred vision was coming back. Not merely returning to me, but becoming better. Wherever that feeling came, it healed. The vexing pain disappeared. The soreness, tiredness was relieved.

When I came to, I was still lying down, my head resting in the girl's lap. I could feel the rustle of her skirt on my hair. My hand, the one so badly wounded, felt the warmth of hers.

"You're not from here," she said. I nodded, feebly. I don't know where here is, but unless it was Horon Woods, then she was right.

"What's your name?"

"Thiel. Yours?"

"Mmm. You can call me Umbra."

"Odd name."

"Are you better?"

I performed a mental checklist of my organs. Everything seemed fine. Not the best ever, but good enough that it was hard to believe the past week had happened.

"Maybe," was my answer. "Hey, hey!" She had slid away and was now on her knees, poking me with her finger. "Stop that!" I demanded. Rather than comply, she began grabbing me, pinching me and tugging me. "What're you doing? I told you stop!" She patted me like a dog, all the while having a curious, questioning look in her eyes.

"Are you real?"

That's the kind of reply I get?

"Yes, I'm real."

"Oh..." She's cute, but like every other female I had ever known, annoying and crazy.

"Hey, I've got questions. Mind answering them?"

"Yes, I do mind."

Whah? Since when do people 'mind' anything? When you ask that question, it's just a prelude to asking for a favor or question so reasonable that no dignified human could refuse it. But she 'minded'. Bah. Instead of fighting this insanity, I took stock of the environment.

This place was most definitely not the dark woods or the ravine. It was sunny, cheery, bright. There was blue sky over our head, and a few wispy clouds. Beneath me was a field of short, lush grass. It covered a hill that sloped away on all sides. To my left it abruptly stopped. There was a sharp break in the earth, and beyond that was sky. I crawled a little closer to the ledge to affirm my suspicion. I was hoping we were on some towering plateau above the earth. I was wrong. I looked straight down, and even leaned over, but could not see a surface. I stopped, needing time to take this discovery and wrap my mind around it.

This land that I was standing on, this solid earth, was flying.

There was nothing below us. It's not sensible at all. Like someone shoving an extra sky where gravity tells you the ground ought to be. That this hunk of rock could fly was far less consequential to me. The bounds of magic are unknown, I can easily conceive a land floating along the sky. What I cannot accept is a landing floating in the sky below which there is positively nothing!

Where had my world gone? Where was I?

This hunk of rock was bigger than I expected, though. Behind me it stretched out to a blurry distance. It was a beautiful panorama. The edge curved outward, lined with hills, mountains, forests; there was even the glitter of water, streaming up to the brink and spilling over. The waterfall, at this distance, was a shimmering mist. It poured out into the sky below.

Does it ever dry up, losing water like that?

From what I could tell, we were at the very tip of a peninsula. It rose to a suitable height, so that I could get a good idea of the geography. Immediately before me were grassy knolls that gave way to forests. Green, leafy, comfy, cheery forests. As if from a fairy tale. The mountains in the distance built up to an ominous height in the center of the landmass. Oh, not scary or surrounded by lightning, but even from many many miles away, they still appeared to tower into the sky. Lakes and rivers criss-crossed the land, issuing from valleys. Verdant foliage occupied every nook and cranny. In all, a lush, wondrous paradise.

A wind had been blowing gently all the while, and suddenly kicked up. I didn't mind it for a few minutes, still trying to take the lay of the land. I hadn't heard or seen the girl for a while, and turned to find out what she was doing. She hadn't left, she was on the edge of the cliff.

It was like she was trying to catch the air. She was leaning into the strong wind, as it came off the empty sky and poured onto the flying landmass. Her feet took little steps, as her body tottered and tilted in the wind. It was like dancing. This lasted for several minutes, and I was caught between the terror of her falling over and the delicacy of her show. When the wind died down, she ceased her escapade.

"What was that?" I asked.

"I like the wind. It helps me feel alive."

I guess I was giving her a funny look, because she followed with, "You think it's weird?"

"Never mind. You said your name was... Umbra? Umbra, is there anyone else here?"

"What do you mean by anyone?"

"I mean what I mean. Anyone, any people. Doesn't matter race, are there other sentient beings on this island?"

"Well, I suppose they'll do for you. Follow me!" She dashed off at a skip. Caught by surprise, I hurried to keep up. Little chance for that, though, as she constantly peered back towards me. A slight smile lit her face. Her legs seemed to carry her effortlessly. I could never catch up, no matter if I sprinted. Yet, she would hasten or slacken her pace, to always keep ahead. In this game of chase, we hurtled down the hill, across the knee-high fields and atwixt groves of trees.

"Hold up!" I yelled, when I couldn't keep up. My own feet trotted to a slow walk, my chest heaving for air. I was glad for once, that I was exhausted only from traveling so far so fast, and not from being driven for days on end.

"You're just a bundle of energy, aren't you."

"I think you're just slow," she replied.

"How far now?"

"Oh, still a long ways. We haven't covered a tenth of it yet."

A tenth?! Curses curses curses! When I asked if there was civilization nearby, I thought nearby could be measured in minutes and yards, not hours and miles!

"Let's just walk, then." Umbra complied, settling down to a walk beside me.

"Umbra, you're a strange person. I don't know what to think of you."

Umbra stared off into the sky, pensively.

"Strange, huh? I guess so. Coming from someone like you, yeah, I guess that's a fair statement." What is she talking about? "But you're kinda strange yourself. Like carrying that sword, what's that all about? Are you a warrior?"

"I don't really want to talk about it."

We had settled into some kind of path amongst the rocky bush lands. It was still bright out, and upon searching, I became startled.

"Where's the sun?"

She glanced at me, furling her brow.

"Wha... what's a sun?"

She is feigning ignorance, so blatantly that it's shameful.

"Never mind." I wasn't going to push it if she was lying. Definitely a strange girl. Stranger than this world.

Awkward would best describe the situation. I had escaped, finally, from a disaster-ridden theft that made me question my entire life thus far, only to be flung into a foreign land of which I knew nothing about. This girl is my only contact in said land, but she obviously would rather learn about and keep her past a secret. Put two pretentious, demotivated individuals together and the conversation is not going to last long.

Even so, I was getting tired, and bored.

"I'm beat, can we rest?"

"No," she said.

"What?"

"No. Let's not stop."

"Hey, I'm tired and I'm stopping. I wonder why I even asked you in the first place."

"Does everyone from your home expect a 'yes' to their demands? I wonder how they get along if they can never respect when someone disagrees with them. We've got to keep going."

"Hey, girl... Umbra. I'm not asking for permission. I'm stating a fact." I promptly halted.

"Well then, see ya!" she stuck her tongue out at me and continued on.

I didn't actually need to stop, but I didn't make any effort to catch her again. She disappeared over the top of a hill. Oh well. Her words indicated this was not a desolate land, and I'm bound to meet someone with more decency some time or other.

Nearby was a hollow bordered by shrub-like trees. A stream ran across it, alleviating my thirst. It would be a decent plot of land to camp out. There was no fruit to snatch from the vegetation, but I wasn't particularly hungry at the time. Despite lacking a solar sphere, the sky was darkening. Night time, thankfully, still came to this continent. After a few hours of walking and everything else before it, my legs were glad to splay out on the grass. The sky turned from creamy white to shades of grey. Grey faded into blaack, and soon enough, a gentle darkness encompassed the world. I say gentle, because the stars were shining. A star-spangled canopy spread overhead, ever so distant, surreal. I had never seen such a dazzling sky in my life.

With it getting cold, I wanted a fire. Not too hard, there were sticks and dried grass laying about to build one, and a hard rock and the Master Sword provided the spark. Rather than sleep, though, I spent the early night staring into the flames, trying to recollect all that had happened. It was my first moment of rest since pilfering the armory. That was ages ago, seemingly, and so much turmoil had transpired between then and now.

The armory. That had been a bad omen. Then the claiming of the Master Sword, rushed, blatant, sloppy. I escaped, but vastly underestimated the Hylian fielding capabilities. Or maybe I just miscalculated the size and determination of the ones they sent to track me.

I took out the sword, turning it in the firelight. It was beautiful. I lazily slashed it through the air. Even tired, even sitting, it moved easily, threatening to dice anything in its path. A beautiful weapon, it was. No wonder the knight's spoke of it with reverence. What would I do with it? Obviously, keep it, for now. A blade might come in handy. The world at large is not exactly safe, and there is no reckoning on what dangers this land concealed. Yet, what if I had got clean away? Or if, and when, I get back to Holodrum? There was some amount of gold-lust in me, I could keep it as a treasure. Or sell it for any price I ask. So many options, but mostly uninteresting ones. It wasn't like I cared much about the answer to that question; I had stolen it because it was famous, and the act itself would make me famous. Well, no act had ever been this taxing on my body, or my mind. Taxing? What an understatement.

"If I get out of this, that's it, I'm through. I'll find an honest, easy job, and live out my life. A cartographer, or locksmith, or go back to the artifacts trade." I told myself this, and I meant it. The pain was going, but not forgotten. I can't bring myself to judge what I had done these past... five years was it? But it's easy to conclude that it's too dangerous going forward. Besides, if I was in it for the notoriety, I think I just hit the top of my career. No other job could equal what I just pulled.

The theft, the chase, the duel, the... the woods. Those woods.

And then I was brought back to memories of the black forest. The hysteria. The darkness. The... the... the... horror.

"You've seen him, haven't you? His name is Wither. It's best not to think about it." I did not realize I had begun shivering, violently. Nor did I realize when Umbra had appeared, sitting opposite the campfire from me. She was on her knees, hands folded in her lap, her eyes staring directly into mine.

"What do you mean?" I croaked.

"You're not from here. That means you came from somewhere else, and to get here from there, you had to pass through a rift. Those rifts are created by him. His name is Wither."

"Him? The leviathan?"

"He sometimes takes that form. Sometimes he appears like a man, tall, dark, handsome, but unapproachable. He is the lord of this entire world. He does not tolerate outsiders, and he will kill you when he finds you. I know you think I'm strange, maybe I'm like that all the time. But when I treat you like you're not human, that's not my nature, not the kind of behavior I wish I had. I've met three other outsiders, and they have all died by Wither's doing. Sometimes I imagine new people, hoping for someone to relieve the boredom. I was glad when I found you were real. Then I remembered what will probably happen to you. For all this, I am sorry."

She said this in a level, emotionless way. Her pitch never rose, never cracked, never strayed from a tone so serious it was all but opposite of who she was before.

Yet, she was reassuring to me. She acted like this wyrm was dangerous, like a monster. That calmed me. It was no longer an unknown, it was a beast, or a man, not a nightmare, to be dealt with like an enemy and not a demon. It also meant she was sane, and knew when the danger was real.

"Wither will kill me."

"Yes."

"And you?"

She stared at me, blankly, saying nothing.

"Will you help me?"

"I will save you," she said. Then she cocked her head and smiled. Her goofy personality had returned. "I promise."


	10. Luft

**Chapter 10: Luft**

"Don't be alarmed. Any second now..."

Boom.

(I spread my fingers out in a fan for Zelda, Link, and Daleph).

It's hard to describe, but suffice it to say, the fireworks that instantly filled the sky were very bright, and very loud. Alright, spectacular is a good word. Awe-inspiring. Or awful. Or awe-injecting. Whatever the terminology, I was in a lull, about to fall asleep any second, and three-tenths of a second later I was staring at the heavens, wide-eyed, wide awake, and shocked into absolute inaction. The sky is pretty big, because, well it's the sky. And at that moment, most of it was swirling like a storm of color. Near the horizon it was calmer and almost normal. Not quite overhead, but closer than the horizon, it was creating vortexes of particles, giant rainbows arcing through the atmosphere, spinning outward and consuming itself inward. What seemed like a hurricane of energy formed. What appeared to be an eye was no sky, but a blackness that... for lack of a better word, buzzed. Out of this nexus a fiery projectile, probably the size of a mountain, burst forth. It descended towards the ground, as fast as a shooting star, sweeping away all other effects away.

The 'meteor' descended below the tree-line, and just as I expected a resounding crash, I saw.... nothing. No sound, no crash, no flash, no boom, nothing. Within a minute, the mysterious projectile and the turbulent sky had disappeared.

"He does that, I think, to remind us of his power. Spectacular, but wasted. What did you think of it?"

Umbra still sat across the dying fire from me. She was uninterested in the meteorogical display, but seemed to have been watching me for most of it. I recovered about as fast as the night sky.

"What was that?"

"That was Wither."

"That was Wither..."

"Yes."

"What was he doing?"

"Returning from wherever he was."

"And the fireworks?"

"The maelstrom would be him tearing a hole through the dimensions. I wish it was more elegant; it's entirely too violent as is."

"So, the meteor, that was him coming down."

"No, that's... that's a spell of his. He stops it right before it hits Luft, I suppose to keep the residents in check."

"So there really are other people here."

"Of course. You think I'm lying to you?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Well, I'm not. There are thousands of people living everywhere. We're just in a remote location, because."

"Because why?" I asked.

"Just because. Because this area isn't friendly to people or monsters."

"Why's that?" I wondered. "And monsters? You mean they're here too? And what could keep monsters away from any given area. They aren't called monsters because they're cute-n-harmless bunnies."

"Wither put a curse on this land. He dictates where people can and can't go, and he never gives a reason. That good enough for ya?"

"Well then, how come you get to travel here?"

Umbra looked uncomfortable answering that. "Because... I'm me. I don't obey every single rule. You know there are always exceptions."

This is getting me tired and slightly confused.

"I feel like there's more to this land and to this Wither than you're letting on."

She smiled. "Maybe."

"That might as well be a full confession."

"It's complicated," she protested.

"Then figure out how to uncomplicate it while I get some rest." I rolled back over onto the grass. The jolt of the astral storm had brought me up, but I was still tired from everything. It took a minute to pass out into slumber.

When I came to, I was alone. Not for long though, as I heard splashing in the stream. Someone was being rather noisy with their morning bath.

"Umbra what are you doing?" I called out.

"Whah?" I said, staring. It was not the young lady in the water, but something else... A creature that reminds me of a goat with a bulbous muzzle and white, ground-length fur. This animal was rolling around the stream bed, apparently cleaning itself.

"What are you? Go away, shoo!" I yelled, raising my arms at it. It jumped in surprise, and then _barked_ at me. After jumping about on stiff fur, it skittered away into the underbrush.

"Aw, you let it get away."

"Where have you been?" I asked sternly, while Umbra padded up beside me.

"About."

"Nevermind."

I spent the next few minutes urinating, re-igniting the fire, and washing my face in a different part of the stream.

"It's called a clupex. Easy to cook, good to eat, hard to hunt though. Coulda had it for it breakfast, if you were faster."

"Why didn't you catch it?" I asked.

"I didn't see it first. You did." She smiled.

"Nevermind." True, I was getting frustrated by a lack of intelligible answers, but that smile was disarming.

"Do you still want to keep going?" she asked.

"Of course." I was mentally preparing for a day, or even two, of hiking.

"There is a place closer, but I don't think you'll like it."

"A place? What's it called?"

"Wither's Castle."

"..."

Is she sane?

"I'll pass."

"Thought so. But kinda close to the Castle is a sky ferry post. It'll get us to the town much faster. Hey, if you like the ride, we can go to any town you like."

"Kinda close sounds too close to me. What are we talking about? And sky ferry doesn't sound all that great either. My last memory of Wither says he can fly." I took for granted that on a flying continent, they have an airborne mode of transportation.

"You worry too much."

"It was part of my job."

"And what was your job?"

"..."

For once, the awkwardness was turned round and I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"Really, what was it?"

"Fine, I'll go. Show me the way, tour guide." I don't know a thing about this land, so I'm reduced to blindly trusting a girl I met yesterday, one whom I'm not too fond of already.

"Okay, but what was your job? Something responsible, I bet, since leader-types always worry. What did you lead? Were you a boss? A captain? Maybe in the army... I bet that's it. You wouldn't be carrying around a big sword like that if you weren't a military type. So what kind of captain? Huh? Huh?"

She did set off, at a reasonable pace. Yet all morning and into the afternoon she pestered me about my past. I tried every method to deflect her, eventually resorting to ignorance and silence. When she couldn't get me to talk, she started guessing, and even inventing, wildly inaccurate tales about me.

"That looks like a real quality work there. What kind of pommel stone is that? Looks rare. I bet you had to get that custom crafted. Or, no, your liege lord gave it to you, a reward for bravery in battle," and so on.

At some point I wanted to snap. Fume could be seen evaporating off my temples, I'm sure. Instead, she turned to me, eyelids drooping, head cocked, lips pressed together and turning upward into a smile. I couldn't bring myself to yell at such a face.

Instead I tried hijacking her conversation.

"Sounds like you know this place a lot. And what are you doing with me, anyways? You don't have a family? A job?"

"Me? Nope!" she exclaimed.

"Then what do you do?"

"I hang out. Do different things. Meet people, go places, sleep, things like that."

"Sounds kind of lazy."

"I've got a lot of time."

"Where are we now?" I looked around. The trees were pretty dense, to the point that trees were growing off of other trees and stacking onto themselves. The root systems were half the height to the canopy. A wide road had been forged through the thicket, making it much easier than having to clamber over the terrain. Still, tendrils were invading it at every point.

"No where really, but in twenty minutes we should be at Mellotot Crossing. That's where the ferry picks up."

The forest was alive with bird calls, and every so often I caught a glimpse of rodent-like creatures in the branches. Far ahead, I caught a look at another clupex. It vanished before we were anywhere near it, though.

"A days walk, and I've gone from highlands to temperate rainforest. This land is strange."

"Do you like it?"

"Compared to Holodrum, no."

"Holodrum... um... your homeland?" she asked tentatively.

"My birthplace."

"Oh..."

"You want to hear about it?"

"Um... sure," she said, as if she didn't really want to.

"You don't sound enthusiastic at all!"

"Yes! Yes, I want to hear about your birthplace, Holodrum! How's that?"

"Not convincing."

"Well, blah! It's only because you don't make it sound interesting! And you call it your birthplace! That must mean you didn't live there recently!"

"I did too! Not too long ago, anyways."

"Well... what was it like then?"

"Well, do you have seasons here?"

"No."

"Holodrum has the most outrageous weather, because of its seasons. Every single winter it snows and the whole country gets buried. Then spring comes and the snow vanishes in a single day. The plant life seems to come back from the dead overnight, and its green-green, and whatever flowers decide to bloom, everywhere.... Hey are you listening?"

She shook her head, though she seems like she wasn't paying avid attention, but just frustrated.

"Tell me about the people. Who did you know? What were they like?"

So I spent the next ten minutes selectively picking out life stories and characters from my past, incidents that wouldn't betray my career. Meanwhile we were headed ever so slightly uphill. The trees gradually thinned out, never disappearing, but becoming a forest, not a jungle. The species of tree was transitioning. It was changing from a thick-trunk, grows-in-heaps, leaves-as-big-as-your-head variety, to a thinner, solitary variety that still managed to double the height of the former. I asked Umbra about them.

"I don't know the tree names. Though, I see this one," she pointed to a tall, skinny one, "all over the valleys. They actually can get HUGE, and some of the skarrow build houses up in their branches."

"Skarrow?"

"You'll meet them later," she promised. A race or civilization, I take it.

"Well, I bet you're curious about this place. And here we are!" Not exactly here, but I could spot something different in between the treetops from afar. It looked like a log cabin, but built up into a tower that rose far above the canopy. Stairwells and catwalks lined its exterior. The top looked like a log-fort balanced precariously at the vertex.

"Maybe Gloopy will be in. Hurry up!" She flew ahead at sprinting speed. I decided, mockingly, to slouch behind.

The structure came into view. The path wound its way up a still heavily-forested hill. Straight ahead, though, the path was zigzagging up the rock-face, becoming narrower and narrower, until it plunged over the other side. Right where it disappeared, this awkward building made out of interconnected logs arose beside it. It held a single entrance, no door. By this door, Umbra was waiting eagerly.

"Finally! Inside, let's get the skipper summoned." She walked in. As sore as my legs were, I followed. The first thing under the shadow I spotted was a bench. I promptly fell into it. Umbra was leaning on a counter, talking rapidly with a figure on the other side. I didn't have a good vantage point to see them.

"Why couldn't you go? Gloopy is too attentive! He shouldn't worry about every little disturbance in the atmosphere!" More words of unintelligible banter.

"Him? He's new. Yes, that of course that kind of new. You believe in too many myths."

"Ellu! Cum hur! Yus, yu! Cum hur!" Repeated three or four times, before I registered the strange accent. Accents. Come to think of it, Umbra doesn't have an accent. Strange.

"Cum! Up up up! Thur yu ur!" What was motioning over the counter at me was a race that was completely alien to me. Besides wearing an untold number of pots, pans, thimbles, and whatnot for "armor", and a patchwork assemble of rags to hold it together, I could discern a horribly disfigured body. It was as if it legs for arms and toad-like hands. It's face was vaguely human, but shaped oddly, and hard to discern under the beat-up helmet.

"Ump szin Dunp, ut yur survice." I suppose I could discern the accent now. It basically exhanged a 'u' for every vowel possible.

"Dun dun, muss, thut's uh boy a lut liku yu Muss Umbur. Yu shur?"

"Positive, Miss Dunp. When can we expect the next skip?"

"Uh, duh knuw, mube tunny minutes."

"She says twenty minutes till they can signal for the air ferry." Perfect, I thought, a good time to rest.

"Hu, Ull gut tu wurkun." Ump szin Dunp shambled off into the shadowy recesses. A flash of light showed that she merely took a back door outside. This room was barely twice my height in dimension, and seemed to fill the entire base of the tower. I wondered what might be at the broader space at the top. I asked Umbra about it.

"You'll see when we go up there."

Miss Dunp reappeared, blurting something I couldn't understand. Umbra translated it to be "they're on their way, time to climb". We obliged. Stair by stair we ascended up the tower. The railings were flimsy, sometimes non-existent. Each stepping board creaked, some shifted, held down only by knots. I was scared and jittered. Umbra could tell.

"Are you scared of heights?" she asked me.

"Generally no, but I've taken too many falls lately."

"Hur us mu pud, yu just lug up un thu shup be hur un nu tum. Un tull Upus tu quite dun. Mukun a ruckuss us he."

"Alright, Miss Dunp, see you later!"

"Gubye." The rag-tag accessorized humanoid disappeared into a doorway. I noticed we had passed several, and more followed on our climb. She noticed me looking at them.

"They needed a tall tower to let the sky ferry dock somewhere, since it's not easy to ground and lift off one of those things. It ended up with a lot of empty space, so they just built apartments into the tower itself. All of the staff live here."

"Anyone else? Seems a bit of a waste to plunk a station in the middle of nowhere."

"We're not exactly in... nevermind."

"That's my line. What were you about to say? What's important enough around here to drop a sky ferry?"

"Nothing, you wouldn't want to know." I racked my brain for a clue, but couldn't think of one. At the time, though, I wasn't thinking far enough back for said clue. I'd regret not pursuing the matter.

We kept climbing, and when the probable fall went from "life-threatening and would crush every bone in my body but I might survive" to "will absolutely snap my spine and die for sure", we arrived at the top. Good thing, as I had felt a quiver in the structure, and I couldn't tell why, but it made me even more nervous. We passed through an arch and into a spacious room, with enough space left over to form side rooms. Someone was playing the drums behind a closed door, loud enough to feel it through the floor. It explained why the tower shook. I turned and queried Umbra on it, but couldn't hear my own voice. She ignored me, walked over to this door, banged it, and hollered _even louder_ than the infernal rhythm.

"Opus, tone it down!" The drumming ceased.

"Yes, even Dunp can hear you all the way downstairs."

"I could care less if you dislike her, it's a matter of respectability!"

"Fine! I'm leaving!" She came back to me. The drumming continued, but at a moderate decibel this time.

"Opus, their weatherman. About as uncooperative as the weather, too. Akay, up we go." We traveled up to the second floor of the fort, which was less residential and more industrial. Most of the center was filled with a giant mechanism of some sort, composing of gears, mirrors, and piping. Off to the side were food stockpiles, and then wax candles, lamp oil, bundles of rope, tin bracings, etc etc. The only inhabitable area seemed to be the desk. No one was at it though.

"Navlaw! Navlaw, are you here?"

Another humanoid type creature appeared from behind the machinery. Rather than short and stumpy like Dunp, this one was thin but crooked, so that they were about the same height. In fact, this person's back was crooked to the point where they shouldn't be alive, let alone skipping around. It made a kind of 'Z' shape from their neck to their hips. Other than that, he was wearing no shirt and raggedy cotton pants. His arms were black; on closer inspection, they were calloused and covered in soot or grime or some-such.

"Yalloo, Amber. Been awhile."

"You too, Navlaw. I'm taking my new friend here to Solace."

"Oh, I see. How do dee do?" he turned to greet me.

"Fine, thank you," I returned the favor.

"I'm Olison Navlaw."

"Thiel."

"Thiel...?"

"van Fieffen."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Fieffen." What an odd last name. Not that Navlaw is any better, but I remembered how officious my surname sounded. The man with a zig-zag back and stubby-haired head continued, speaking to Umbra. "Amber, put the signal up, my brother should be here in ten minutes. If he's hungry, I'll open the store up."

"What do you use for currency? I've got nothing," said I.

"Oh, for a friend of Amber's, it's free."

"Amber?" Umbra pointed at herself with a smile. I was confused, but let it pass till we could get some privacy.

"This way." Mr. Navlaw motioned me downstairs once again. He showed me various snacks wrapped in paper; I picked out the one vaguely resembling a pastry. It tasted pretty good, but was dry. I asked for water, and showed a hand-crank. After getting myself a cup and another pastry-snack, I wandered around till I found Umbra. She was sitting on an outside balcony, feet dangling through the railings.

From this vantage point, I could see fairly far out. It was the same wondrous view as when I first appeared in this land, except dimmer. Clouds had formed overhead, light puffy ones. Umbra was staring up at these.

"That one reminds me of a turtle, with a crown on top." She was pointing at one near the horizon.

"Clouds are clouds, they look beautiful without being likened to other things," I said. She turned, frowned, then went impassive.

"I'm sorry," though I didn't sound like it. "Why did he call you Amber?"

"Um, well. Simple to say, but confusing for you...."

"And?"

"I have a lot of names, depending on the person."

It shouldn't be that surprising. When we first met, she only told me what to call her, not what her name was. "You can call me Umbra," to quote. Mere semantics for some cultures, but she seems to have used the phrase literally.

"Why? What's your real name? Too embarrassing?"

"It's not a fun conversation anymore."

"Nevermind." Good grief. All the touchy spots this lady possessed was killing me.

"Can you tell me something that would start a proper conversation, then? I'm bored and we have five minutes, judging."

"Alright." She sat their, squirming, apparently thinking up something to talk about.

"Do like this world?"

"So far, it's pleasant enough."

"It's name is Luft."

"Luft, huh." Sounded airy. Which would be appropriate.

"You'll get to see a lot of it on the ride."

"Cool. Do you know why it's flying?"

"Nope."

"Really?" I stared at her.

"No clue. It's been here and floating since... since I can remember."

"Solace. That a town?"

"A city, really. Several thousand people live there. The biggest city in Luft. There's a legend that says the city got its name from the spring there, because a widow of a man killed in a battle got over him by looking at her own reflection. I don't know how it works, but it's an odd name for a city and an odd etymology befits it."

"And what exactly are we supposed to do when we get there?"

"Well, you asked to see other people, I thought you had something in mind."

I was the one who asked to go to a town. Despite the trouble in getting there, it was still something I wanted to do. Why? I had to think about it.

I guess, it's because I don't feel comfortable being alone. As in, alone in my environment. I like to be a part of civilization. Maybe it's because I was a thief, and depended on other's hard work in order to survive myself. Am I useless, then, alone?

"I want to get settled. I'll need housing, while I'm here, and maybe a job, if required. And quite frankly, you're annoying for company, I'd like other people to talk to."

She sighed. "Point taken. Actually, I have a good idea where to put you. But I need to make arrangements." That might be comforting, then. After that, I could figure out how to get out of here.

"Scusa, but Captain Navlaw is arriving." Olison had snuck up behind us.

We made it to the very top. The outer rim was all decks and gangplanks. The inner circle was the top of that machine inside. It spotted an enormous, multi-faceted dome. Like a mirror, maybe. It was catching rays of light and reflecting them off in a single powerful beam, straight into the sky.

"That is....?" I asked.

"Eh, take a look at the ship first, you'll see what we use it for."

The "ship" was making its way across the airspace. It looked like.....

A ship. It was a ship. Just like one I'd cross the ocean in. It had a hull, a for and aft cabin, a mast, and sails. Yes, sails. At first it didn't look like something that could fly but rather float. It was flying, though, so I took a second look to spot it... yep. It got closer, and I spotted the differences.

On the aft prow, there was another of those geodesic mirror domes. The mirrors were concentrating a beam of light directly into the sails, which were shaped differently than a regular ships. The were held out, like a kite or parachute.

"I think I get it," I told Navlaw.

"Let's hear it."

"The dome use light from... well, the sky, I guess. It concentrates the light onto the sails, or more importantly, the air beneath the sails. The air heats up, rising, which gives lift to the sails."

"Good job."

"And that," I pointed at the tower's dome, "is used for....?"

"A couple of things. We can launch boats from here with a boost, we can pick up ships that are stranded nearby. Mostly, we just have a big, big ole torch inside it. That way we can light it at night. Helps to keep them afloat when the ships are moored overnight."

"Can the air ships fly on their own at night?"

"Yeah, they have a lantern that can keep it neutral and going. Night time still slows em down quite a bit, better to just walk if you can't wait for a day trip."

"I see."

Umbra did not join in the shop talk we were having. If I had dwelled on it, I would only conclude that she can't converse on normal subjects, and is only at home talking in riddles and teases and random, non-relevant subjects. But I didn't dwell on it, and I didn't dwell on her. I was focused on the incoming vessel.

The ship slowed down, then pulled up beside an outstretched gangway. A single person appeared, apparently the captain. His back was ram-rod straight, but otherwise he could have been an identical twin to our escort.

"Oli! How ya been!"

"Donny! Doin well, swell, well well! And for your own good graces, hmm?"

"Lovely weather today, the fireworks cleared the air just fine last night. Oye, it's Amber!"

"Hallo Captain!"

"And who's this?"

"I'm Thiel," I said, nodding my head.

"Oh so formal! C'mere, my name's Capitan Donaldo Navlaw, we'll be best mates!" he said, and promptly bear-hugged me. For a captain of a dainty flying ship, this guy felt like he wrestled great old trees out of the ground.

"And what brings you on my esteemed duchess, good sir?"

I couldn't answer, because I was still trying get some air into my chest cavity.

"Lost for words, thah's alright, her beauty can do that to the weak of heart. Let's go, let's go!" But I was too phased to even move. The big fellow turned to Umbra and began a whispered conversation. The other Navlaw stood over me. He prodded me for a second, muttered: "You'll be okay, big brother just loves people a little too enthusiastically" and then picked me up.

"Ah, of course! So, now we're off!" Captain Navlaw set out, followed by me under the arm of Oli Navlaw.

I was carried off across the gangplank, and dropped onto the middeck. My guts churned as we crossed. It was a ten story drop to the ground below; my stomach was fluttering up into my smashed lungs. When I could, I sat down, bracing my back against the solid rail of the ship.

"Umbra, is everyone in Luft crazy?" I turned, expecting a quizzical response. Guess what, thin air doesn't answer. Umbra was not in my field of vision.

"Umbra?"

"Wonder of engineering! We're off instantly! Ho!" The sky ship rumbled, and then lurched, and then floated up into the free sky, slowly.

"Umbra?"

"Right here!" The girl waved at me from the gangplank, now receding by a foot a second. I stared in disbelief at the gap forming between us.

"What are you doing?"

She had that smile again.

"I have some stuff to attend to, first. Captain knows what to do with you, trust him!"

"What? What business? Where are you going?"

"Don't worry, I'll catch up with you later!"

"Why you!"

"Goodbye! Have fun!"

"You'll regret..." I began to threaten, but she was already out of earshot. I settled for a massive groan and added a sigh for good measure. The wood deck was too hard to slump down to, so I picked myself up and settled in a make-shift hammock by the railing. The forests of Luft receded before me, as we climbed high into the afternoon sky.

"What have I gotten myself into," I asked the clouds. The clouds.........


	11. Aloft

Author's Note: Finally, the titular character makes an appearance! Took long enough, I know. It seems like I'm having trouble with imagery, and an easy time with dialogue.. Something I'll have to get better at. I'm also having a lot of fun with these chapter titles.

_________________

**Chapter 11: Aloft**

_A figure, dancing through the heavens, in joy._

There are a few memories that stay with us. They will be remembered, vividly, for the rest of eternity, though we spend eternity dead and thoughtless, or tortured in hell, or blissful in the afterlife. Some memories earn that distinction by being the peak of happiness. Others do so easily, with violence and horror. And then, there are the memories which command a place by their sheer wonder.

I paused my story for a moment. The others stared at me, expectantly. Instead of continuing, I scuttled my way over to them, or rather, a pile of dust beside them. I began tracing my finger in wide circles and loops.

"It's not a very good map, but it'll do. This is Luft."

Link watched my drawing intently, as did Daleph. Zelda wasn't as interested in a geography lesson, and used the break to tend to her father.

"What's the scale?"

"Hmm. In the solaro, that's what they call the kind of ship I traveled in, well, in the solaro, it was a three day trip to cross from one side of the land to the other. Hmm, do a little math..." I tried to calculate it out in my head. "Um... maybe 500-something miles across." My map was done, one that would make a cartographer weep.

Luft was mostly a circular piece of land. In its center was an enormous peak and several ranges radiating out from it. An inner circle of lakes, rivers, and sounds formed a moat around these peaks. The area south was heavily forested, eventually tapering into the peninsula where the girl found me. The northern half of the continent contained another mountain range, one that formed a crescent. Within it was a frozen desert. Westward and eastward are highland regions, and contain most of the civilizations. My destination at that time was Solace, a city just east of the "moat". I pointed out to them the area.

"I see."

"We left the station in the afternoon. Darkness fell, which meant that the solaro could barely stay aloft, let alone cover ground. We were scheduled to land late in the morning the next day. Captain Navlaw gave me the heads up on that."

"These folks, the sky ferry crew. They're the first people you met besides Umbra?" Zelda asked me.

"Yes." I answered.

"You describe them as very foreign people. Is everyone in that land so colorful?"

I thought for a second. "Hmm. For the most part, yes." I resumed my story.

Dusk came and Olison found me.

"My brother's at the helm, but he says you're welcome to eat whenever. I brought a stash below deck, if'n you're hungry."

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," said I. These past weeks gave me a good appreciation for a hot meal. Although I couldn't identify what gravy-pasty chewy goop they gave me, I ate it anyways. It did taste delicious, despite appearances. Afterwards, I found a hammock on the aft deck and slouched in. The captain had a rather comfortable seat behind the wheel (less of a wheel and more an amalgamation of rotor-dials, levers, and cranks). We got into a polite conversation that consisted mostly of my experiences since meeting Umbra.

"Umbra, Umbra Umbra. Why not call her Amber?"

"Umbra is the name she told me to call her."

"Eh, and she's told other saps to call her Miss, and Mari, and Aura, and Imber. So many names she goes by. A fickle girl, she ought to settle down. Be responsible, use her real name."

"What is her real name?"

"I don't reckon anyone knows. Perhaps Lord Wither, but Luft'll fall outa the sky the day anyone asks him anything."

"Wither is sounding less pleasant every time he's brought up."

"We don't have to talk about him," Navlaw tried to reassure me. We had drifted off-topic, anyways.

"Amber, then. Did she tell you to call her that?"

"Well, not us personally. I don't think she ever asked for it, either. Way back when, there was a rumor going around about a mischievous girl. Said she had a crazy dress, colored like dead leaves. So I guess someone started calling her Amber-dress, and then just Amber. This was before she told anyone her name. Ah well, lovely girl, we love her."

"Love her," asked I, in surprise.

"Oh, not kissy-kissy love. Just, she's there when ya need a miracle."

I guess she was a miracle worker. She had saved my life, when I was dying of fatigue at the edge of this world. I wonder what other kinds of things she had done for these people.

"Hey, look at that."

"What?" The captain was pointing at the ground, though it was dark and indistinguishable. "I don't see anything."

"Well, guess not now. But we're flying over dangerous country right now. Deadly monsters roam all over down there. Would be pretty bad if we were grounded right now."

"Don't tempt fate," I warned him. He looked at me in amusement.

"On, nah, this won't be like the fairy tales. My duchess is a good ship, we won't have trouble out of the blue." He sounded absolutely sure of himself, and for that, I was even less reassured.

"It's getting late. Why not take a rest?"

I was sleepy. "Alright. Please don't crash."

"Ah hah hah. I don't need to be told," Captain Navlaw replied. I made my way under the deck and into another hammock. The rocking of the ship was gentle. It felt like a cradle, lulling me to sleep. The air lay still, light, and cool. I could sleep well, for once. At rest, in peace, safe.

I slept like this all the time, once. When I was young. My father is a knight in the Holish army. He's not much bigger than I, but he's solid as a rock. My brothers would try to wrestle with him for sport; my father always won, even they being two full-grown men. He promised us he'd always keep us safe, and he did. Horon Woods is not the safest region of the nation, but we all felt safe under father's roof. I never had any trouble falling asleep back then.

Well, it helped that we were exhausted every evening, from working the fields to training for combat. It was a strict regimen that father placed on us. Me and my brothers weren't expected to simply enjoy his protection; we were expected to grow up and be that pillar for our own children. That's what he wanted.

A hard day's labor earned a good night's rest. That is what I learned from it.

I didn't sleep as well, when I ran away.

When I woke up, it wasn't even light out yet. Only the faintest touch of light touched the sky. Atop the deck, I marveled at Captain Navlaw, slumped in his seat and snoring contentedly. His right hand held the wheel, swaying it back and forth, bit by bit. He can steer the ship in his sleep, literally. Well, not so great a feat. The mirrored dome was well lit by a lantern, but not nearly so brilliant as in full daylight. I passed my hand over it, and felt that it was warmer than the dawn air. A current passed lazily by, just enough to keep us airborne.

Around me was nothing but sky and clouds. The earth was far below, still covered in darkness. I took a seat at the forward prow, watching the day arrive. I had wanted to see where the light came from, if there was no sun here.

What I noticed were clouds. A sea of them, truly. They covered the sky like... I can't find a fitting simile. An artist took the bluest canvas and tossed fluff onto it, watching gleefully as they fluttered in the breeze and settled wherever they pleased. They were mountains imposing over us, they were more than mountains, they were oceans, they were a flotilla in the empty ocean of the sky.

Clouds bring rain, rain is but water, dispersed as a trillion tiny gifts to the earth. Clouds fly away into the stormy night. Are clouds made of rain, or do they create it from without? Where do clouds come from? I don't know. Where do they go? I don't know. We only see them in transit, riding along, ignorant of all the terrestrial goings, oblivious to our admiration and affection. Or in my case, right now, wonderment.

Whether crafted by a god or summoned by primal nature, or as simple an existence as the tide that flows, clouds are beautiful, and these the most splendid I have ever seen. Here, I did not feel dead, I did not feel like I would ever die. I was eternal, a fount of existence amidst these drifting sky-borne islands.

I ramble, but I don't care. I was settled in a way I hadn't been, at peace with myself and my world. I watched the cumulus's brewing storms in the distance, I saw stratos swarming above and below. I saw cirrus playing in the distance, beyond the edge of the land, and I saw....

Something.

"What is that?" I strained my eyes, because it was not even visible at this distance. Less than a spec, I couldn't fixate it. Yet, there was something there, in the distance. It was moving, and judging by.... amazing!

Those whiffs of white that must be dozens of leagues away, were parting, swirling, blown away. As if a great heavy book is dropped on a dust-swamped table, with the dust kicking up, blowing out, creating little vortexes. Except, this wasn't dust, these were massive clouds suddenly giving way. And they were giving away at regular intervals. So that, as I watched, it became obvious that something was passing along the bands of clouds at great speed. Passing? Hopping, or skipping, like a rock skipping across a pond. Like the water of the pond, these clouds rippled in succession. It was headed this way.

Though it still had distance to cover, and I leaned on the railing for a long while. The light was growing brighter, whence it came, I was too entranced to see from where. The clouds were not dimly illuminated in a strange color, but now radiated a fiery, brilliant vermillion underneath their bulks. As the thing skipped along, the clouds flared like the sparks of a blacksmith's anvil.

The disturbances came closer, closer, ever closer. Yet they were not headed in a straight line, nor were they coming directly for us. They veered off, till soon it became apparent it would pass at great length. Yet, not so far that I couldn't distinguish this thing...

Incredibly, the lofty cirrus layers stormed up near us, with a movement so sudden and fast that it could not be compared with a tornado even. Yet, there was not a crack, no explosion, no sound. Not the gentlest breeze indicated the clouds were being disrupted so.

There it was... or should be... I don't think I saw it even. The silent vortex at the center of this obscured everything. It was a few hundred feet off our prow. I couldn't manage any detail...

And yet, I thought I saw a... no, I thought I imagined....

_A figure, dancing through the heavens, in joy_.

"Hey, kid! Thiel, right? Breakfast time!" My body told me it was eightish in the morning. Which was quite late, since I had awoken around fivish. Where had these past three hours gone? I went down into the first deck and found a veritable feast waiting for me. Wonderful. This is the perfect Holodrum morning meal. Right time, right food even! They even have hash! Joy! In fact-

"Hash! Hash! Hash! Hash hash hash!" I exclaimed. Then I shut up, looking sheepish. Different nations have different uses for the word hash, not all of them innocent. In my case, hash meant hash browns, a stir-fried crusty potato meal.

"Oye, seems you like the cuisine, eh?" Captain Donaldo called.

"It's a favorite dish back home. Captain?"

"Yes?"

"Who's sailing the boat?"

"Don't worry bout it, it'll be fine this early in the morn. Ah, and technicanically, the verb is flying and the noun is ship."

"Pardon me, for the grammar, and my uneasiness."

"Never been in a solaro?"

"Well, it's just, from where I come..."

"Out with it..."

"I don't want to make my people to sound ignorant of worldly affairs, because we're far from it, but to our knowledge... no one has ever flown before. In anything. Ship, beast, magic... It doesn't happen, at least not at this..." I glanced out the window, "...altitude."

Donaldo and Olison both looked at me with skeptical looks, furrowed eyes, and frowns. "Where are you from?"

I had to consider where I currently was, and wondered if these people know about any other land than their own. I didn't want to ask about it at our current, ehe, altitude.

"Oh, yeah," I remembered to confirm something. "What's with the light in the sky two nights ago?"

Olison answered. "Strange, Amber didn't tell you? That's Lord Wither. Makes a pretty grand entrance when he returns from... wherever. Hey, maybe.... do you know where he goes? You kind of sound like you might know."

"No clue," I said. I had a feeling I should tiptoe around this subject. Umbra sounded like she knew everything about this realm and me and my world too. Her slanted warnings made me feel uncomfortable talking to these two, who knew things and didn't know things, and I didn't know how dangerous the difference between those two parameters were. In my mind I was racing for a new subject. One readily became apparent.

"By the way, I saw something on the mast, at da... daybreak."

"What was that?" asked Olison. I had already proven my ignorance about Wither, who seems like a big deal being the master of the entire floating continent. A little atmospheric disturbance couldn't raise any more suspicion, right?

"I saw an object pass by. It kicked up clouds, kind of like.. hmm, kind of like a person skipping through puddles of water, except with clouds, if you understand what I mean."

"Hmm?"

I tried to conjure up that image, swimming about my murky mind. It came and went, but got stronger with each ebbing.

"Except, when it passed by, at its closest, which wasn't that close, really, I thought it looked like an actual person. Dancing. Across the sky, through the clouds. Do you know what that is?"

Bang! Donaldo's mug hit the galley table hard. The Navlaw brothers were staring at me, in some kind of terror, or anger, or disbelief.

"You are not from Luft, most certainly not, if you do not realize what you saw," Captain Donaldo Navlaw said. He was dead serious, even menacing.

"Boy, boy boy," followed Olison.

"I admit, I'm new," I said, raising my hands, then gripping my seat, ready to jump out. What had I said? What was it about this object... this... it was a figure, a person.

"What is it Or who?" I asked. The more I tried to imagine it again, the clearer it became, though still just a humanoid...

"Boy, you can't be serious. I've never seen it. I've worked these twenty an five years in the sky and I never once spotted it. And by the grace of fate or dumb luck, you've been blessed with the sight of... damn!" exclaimed the Captain.

"Who are they?" The memory sharpened, now I was seeing distinctions between limbs, torso, head...

"Boy...."

Articles of clothing, hair, the rhythm of movement...

"Boy...."

A face, hands, fingers, feet, ripples in the dress, the motion of springing from one foot to the other, tapping the clouds with each lope.... Details I should not have been able to see at that distance...

_A figure, dancing through the heavens, in joy._

A graceful figure, a girl.. A beautiful girl. Not cute, not hot or sexy, but beautiful...

"What you saw was the Cloud Walker."

"The what?" I stared in trance, recalling such a majestic sight now more so than when it first happened.

"The Cloud Walker."

"The Cloud Walker? Who is that?"

The Navlaw brother's stared at each other, no longer angry at my foreign-nature, or stupefied by my ignorance. It seemed as if their mood was somber, cowed by the very mention of the subject.

"He bettah not be lying," whispered Olison.

"Who?" I insisted.

Captain Navlaw made to speak. He filled his chest with a deep, slow breath.

"The Cloud Walker, very probably, is the creator and God of Luft."

My response was a single word.

"God..."

_A figure, dancing through the heavens, in joy. A creator, ignorant of their own creation, in bliss. A lover, of the very presence of its own life. Who is she?_


	12. A Reason to be Hostile

**Chapter 12: A Reason To Be Hostile**

Entranced as I was by this none-too-small revelation, I didn't recognize the situation that was happening at that very moment. I was being led to a cramped cabin and thrown inside, under the threat of a hand cannon shoved in my face. It could have been a while before I halted my racing mind, pre-occupied as it was, and was aware of my predicament. Apparently, I had been locked in this make-shift brig without knowing why.

Oh, yes, I remembered why, but only after wracking my brain.

"He's come face to face with the Cloud Walker an he doesn't even know," stated Captain Navlaw to his brother. His brother nodded.

"I had a feeling he was off..."

Olison made a sudden jerk, snatching an item from an overhead cubby. It was a hand cannon, a miniature version of those infernal weapons employed by Moblins and their ilk. He had it trained on my chest in a fraction of a second. I was in a daze, and so didn't really notice enough to protest.

"Toss him in the back while I figure out what to do."

"Sure," Olison acknowledged his brother. He reached out and grabbed me by the collar, forcing me to stand up. The weapon was raised to my temple and pressed hard. "This'll be such a pain," he muttered to me.

Inside the cabin I regained my senses, and began banging on the door. "Hey! Let me out of here! Let me out!" Of course, neither Nevlaw answered me, and I gave up rather quickly.

For the next couple of hours my mind bounced between the questions of why I was thrown in here and how I would get out.

"The Cloudwalker," I guessed. Something about me seeing it had disturbed the fellow. That or the fact that I had revealed my ignorance, which would mark me as a newcomer. What had Umbra said? Wither was lord of this land. He hated outsiders. He killed outsiders, apparently in horrific ways. Perhaps that xenophobia was shared by his subjects? Or they feared Wither (perfectly understandable) and would deal with foreigners so as not to cross him.

Why do they hate outsiders so much? How do outsiders get in? Where was this place called Luft, exactly? There was so much I didn't understand. That really irked me.

As for escape, that was less perplexing. The door was held shut by a latch. However, it was a snug fit, and I couldn't slip through the crack to free the latch. Glancing around, there was nothing substantial in this cabin. More of a disused pantry, really.

"I'll shoot him now! We don't need to go that far!"

"You twit, we should let the nobles figure it out! Get back here!"

The latch on the other side shook. Someone was opening the door.

"Stop, STOP!" The latch made a clunk, having fallen back into place.

"Don't you point that thing at me! We are on my solaro! I give the orders! Put that down!"

"Then set this rig down so we can speak like brothers! I won't listen to a..."

"Where are you going? Don't you touch my ship!" The voices drifted off, as the argument went above deck.

Great, it sounds like I have options now, albiet murder now or execution later. I bashed and kicked the door, but the latch was secure.

"It's trouble, damnit, trouble! We'll be responsible for anything that he does!"

"...worth it!"

"We'll give him his sword and shoot him! We can make it look like self-defense!"

"That won't hold up if they investigate. Get away from there!" The latch unfastened, and the door popped open. I was ready, and pounced on my assailant. Olison was faster. He rammed his fist into my stomach, then wrapped behind me and got me into a one-arm hold. He used the butt of the hand-cannon in his other fist to knock me upside the head. My vision was sparkling for a few seconds, enough for Olison to chuck me across the deck.

"Olison, you lord-cursed miserable fiend, stop it!"

"There's no better way! Wither doesn't reward good citizens, he eats them!"

"That's just rumors!" Donaldo stormed over to his brother, who had siddled up to my hunkered form. I saw another hand cannon tucked into Donaldo britches. The pair looked like they were yelling at each other and not paying attention. My hand sprang out, caught hold of the grip, and ripped the weapon out. A split second later my wrist was caught in a vice and arced behind my neck. Olison used his hold to pound my face into the wood deck. The wound on my brow ached and bled anew.

"See, he's a vicious fellow! It's for our own safety! If not him, then Wither will kill us just for talking to him!"

"Wither will kill us for not handing him over alive!"

"That's no better! We'll just need to keep the mess secret! Throw him overboard!"

I tried to get up, but Olison kicked me in the ribs.

"Amber is expecting him! She's not going to believe us if he suddenly disappears. All I'm saying..."

"Don't get soft, he's trouble and you know it! What are you, an idiot? Back off and let me take care of it, then!"

"Fine, do whatever! Get that out of my face!" Donaldo batted Olison's upraised hand cannon, knocking it to the floor beside my face. I tried to grab it, but my arm was grabbed yet again, while a boot came down on the back of my head.

"You are weak. Both of you."

"Whuh..." I tried to protest, but my groggy, pain-washed mind wasn't up to it. Instead I focused on the weapon and my right arm.

"Keh, here, hold him, I'll get his sword. We'll make it look like suicide, if his body's ever found."

"I don't want any part in this."

"Useless."

Olison released my arm, only to dig his heel into the small of my back. A hand came down and grabbed the hand cannon on the floor, and then another blow came to my head. I was hurting all over again, but I guess it didn't feel as bad as back then. Maybe I'm getting used to suffering.

"There. Still with his stuff." I managed to get onto my hands and knees, wheezing. Olison was walking towards the other side of the deck, towards my belongings.

"You sound like the kind of kid who would do this, anyways." I was still lurching over, trying to get my breath and assauge the pain. In other words, not ready to defend myself.

Olison reached down, grabbed the bundled sword. He came back, within three steps of me.

"Don't...." I said, thinking of myself first, but then, also him.

"Too bad," he said. He dropped the cloth and took ahold of the Master Sword proper, ready to gut me. I could have smiled.

"Aaaaauuuooou..." Olison let out an outlandish, inhuman moaning. He lost his balanced and stumbled about as if he had chugged several pints of grog. He dropped the Master Sword immedietly, and used his other hand to clutch the quivering one.

"It's not a courageous thing to do, is it?" I muttered. My strength was back, I scampered over and shoulder-rammed Olison into the wall. He didn't even resist. I picked up the Master Sword, ignoring the mild nauseau it held for me.

"Olison? What's going on!" Donaldo came down the stairs, and met my outstretched blade. He tried to back off, but I clunked him with the flat of the blade. The way up was clear. On the third step, I remembered the two hand cannons and bounded back down. One was on the floor, near the dress/make-shift sheath. I grabbed both articles. The other cannon, though...

BANG!

Olison was firing it, without much accuracy. I bounded back up the steps, not wanting to give him time for a second shot.

BANG! A gunblast, a whiz, and a splintering sounded out nigh-instantly. The shot had scraped my trousers and hit the deck beside my foot. I kept running up. Outside, I reversed directions and headed to the aft.

"Donaldo, you stump, get him!"

I was on the aft deck, behind the controls, when the brothers spilled onto the deck. Olison spotted me and raised his hand cannon.

BANG! It went through the controls and my vest. Three shots, without a direct hit. Four's an unlucky number, though, and I dashed further up the aft tower. The only thing left back here was the mirror complex. It was blazing bright by now, nearly impossible to look at. Just being near it felt like the inside of an oven. I ducked behind it as best I could. My right arm was throbbing, so I had to grip the Master Sword in my left.

BANG!

"DAMNIT!!! HALT! STOP FIRING!"

"He's right there!"

"Idiot, you'll crack the mirrors!"

"But... grrrr!"

So I had picked the best hiding spot. I took the time to readjust and call out.

"Why? Why do you want me dead!"

"Because! You're dead soon enough!" Olison yelled out.

"Because you're an outsider! A heretic, a fiend!" Donaldo yelled out.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Don't answer him."

"Shut up." Olison was advancing on my left, Donaldo on my right.

"Your very existence in this world is corruptive! That's why! Now stop running! I promise I'll hand you to the due authorities."

"Right." I popped my head up, sure Olison wouldn't fire again. I made sure I was in full view of the both of them.

"Tell me this," I demanded. "What is wrong with the damned world?" Instead of answering, they began charging. I halted that action very quickly, with a small gesture. I pointed Donaldo's hand cannon and fired. Both of them froze in their tracks.

The bullet had only nicked the surface of the glass enclosure, but now the muzzle was pressed squarely against it.

"Stop! Are you crazy?" Donaldo asked, wide-eyed in fear.

"Desperate," I answered curtly.

"Insane," said Olison. "Never heard of someone cursing their own blade, either. To the bloody abyss with you." He was seething in rage, but Donaldo caught him by the arm. They stared at me across the glass dome, evil-eyed.

"Look, I'm sure... we can arrange something..." Donaldo hadn't a clue. Olison was gripping his cannon. When his eyes weren't glaring at me, they made quick glances around the vicinity. He was going to try something, I thought.

"I'll take my chances," and I fired. Amid the crash of the gunshot there was a ping and a lightning streaking by my face. The glass was unscathed, the richochet having nearly missed my cheek.

"Expletive," I muttered, though I wondered later how I managed to be sarcastic while reeling in surprise.

"Donaldo, it's unbreakable! You nitwit!" Donaldo must have just realized this, as he joined his brother in his advance. I tried firing again. It was empty, unfortunately, and I had no time to reload.

Bang!

At last, a shot that hit it's mark. I knew, because of the spasmatic pain eminating from my chest. I didn't have time to act shocked. Said pain quickly disabled any sense of balance or muscular control, and I collapsed. Olison grabbed me by the collar and hauled me to neck-level single-handedly.

"Get him?" The other asked. I tried to reach up, grab his wrist, get him off me. Tried, but whenever my shoulder moved another spasm of pain paralyzed me.

"Nah, just nicked him in the ribs. Hmm." He planted a knuckle into my upper right chest, near the bloody mess. A sharper wave tore through me, stopping my breath this time. "Cracked a rib, I think."

"What now?"

"What do you mean what now, we toss him. Don't touch that," he said, as Donaldo reached for the sword. The elder backed off.

Strange, how defferential the captain was to the younger brother when a crisis loomed. Not without resistance, though it be merely verbal protest.

"It's not moral to simply throw him over. There's got to be a better way."

"This is the best way. A tragedy, sure, but it's him dissapearing or whatever the tyrant can dream of for us." He held me aloft, then heaved me. My hands, then feet, nicking the rail, unable to get the slightest hold. I was over, and falling. Always falling, but now to my certain doom.

And yet...

I was floating.

Arrested, in mid-air, a body slowly turning, neatly defying gravity. Not on my own accord, or any other input, seemingly. I felt fine. I felt no pain. I could see, I could hear. I could see Olison and Donaldo Nevlaw, but I heard nothing from them. They were not moving, nor reacting, but standing still like captivated monkeys.

"Impossible." One said, at last. They were not staring at me.

A coolness of the air touched my neck and backside. I turned, craning to see this.

"Oh, it's you," I said. There they were. The angel who had passed me by like a dream. The so-called Cloud Walker.

She looked at me, but remained silent as a ghost.

"Is it true that you're a god?" I asked, suddenly feeling curious, giddy, and relaxed all at once. Nevermind the fact that I was floating over a multi-mile drop, or the fact that two murderous men were within an arms-length behind me. I wanted to know about this young woman before me.

No answer, though.

Something was odd about her appearance, but then, her lack of words were stranger still.

Her gaze wandered, from me, to the brothers, to the various attachments on the craft. It settled on something under the railings, which I couldn't see. Her hand gestured at it, emphatically, like a child begging. Donaldo came to his senses first, and realized what she wanted. He bent down, milled about for a moment, than straightened up.

He held the Master Sword with the make-shift wrapping. Despite the covering, he looked quite uneasy holding it. The Cloud Walker floated over, smiling. He offered the weapon to her, which she snatched, like a greey child.

Just as quickly, she dropped the Master Sword.

"No!" I cried, vainly trying to catch it. The blade sped down to the earth, quickly vanishing from sight. The Cloud Walker turned, surprised by my cry. What had she done? Was she just clumsy? I turned to her, distraught.

She didn't appear to understand. She brought her hand up to her chest, worried, then fading to curiosity. What she held was the wrapping of the Master Sword. Or rather, the dress I had used to disguise myself in Hyrule Castle. She held it up to herself, content with the size. In a somewhat awkward motion, she put it over herself, fitting smugly into the ragged apparel.

Now she was turning and swirling, to admire herself. A mist descened from her, the dirt and grime magically disentigrating, leaving the wearer fresh and clean. Nor could I see any other garments now, and that this girl was relaxing in only the dress.

She was beautiful, but also, intangible. A little ghostly, even. Eerily pale, in complexion, in her hair, her eyes. There was an aura about her.

I reached out to touch her. She recoiled, in fear it looked like.

"Who are you? Hello?!"

She shook her head.

"Ah?"

"..."

"Are you really a god?" I asked.

Did she even understand me? She never spoke a word.

I reached out again, futily, whatever kept me airborne didn't allow mobility.

"Please?" I begged. I wanted so much at the moment. Like, real answers about this land. My sword back. To just touch her. To touch anything solid (it was eerie hanging in mid-air). For some peace and stability. A normal life. And...

"Why won't you talk?"

She said nothing. Her eyes averted, in shame, maybe? For a goddess, she sure acted like a little child.

"Fine, fine! Just, put me down!" I finally screamed. She flinched at the outburst. Suddenly, I was accelerating. Earthwards.

"Oh damn...." So much for my big mouth. A light burst overhead. It rivaled the sun in its intensity, blinding me even with my eyelids clamped shut. Then it was gone, and when I regained my vision, I was a few hundred feet above the ground, and closing in on it at terminal velocity.

"I hate you all."


	13. Walking Dialogue

**Chapter 13: Walking Dialogue**

"Hi."

"Huh?"

"I caught you."

Screaming, flipping, rocketing at high velocity into negative altitudes, imminent death and immediate fear, but no second guessing the life that has come this close to ending so many times before, memory intact till the very end... and then a contortion of space in what could only be the afterlife coming to greet me. Not yet, though, as the contortion molded the air into a white pillow of condensed breath. I was dropping slower, then falling, then fluttering, or descending like a feather. And at last, I was not descending but still, neutral and stopped, with but four feet separating me and the ground. I was being carried by a pair of arms.

"Wh...." Just wh, as the specific interrogative escaped me. I was staring at a familiar pale-haired lady. For a moment I dreaded the return of the Cloud Walker, but the reality was much worst.

"You're heavy," said she.

"Huh?"

"Your trip didn't go well?" asked she.

"Umbra."

"Hi there." She was grinning. Blast her, she was grinning! And now I owed her twice over!

"You caught me?! You can't catch a body falling from miles in the atmosphere!"

"You're welcome."

"It's not physically possible!" I protested.

"Magic," she explained, simply.

"Improbable," I amended.

"I'm sorry."

"It'd help if you were a little more direct with your heroics, you know."

"No, I mean I'm sorry. It was my fault."

"Whah?" Dumbfounded, I awaited her humble explanation. I shouldn't expect one, from experience, but I wasn't thinking at the moment.

"I'll tell you later. Can you walk?" By way of answer, I jumped out of her arms. She feigned weakness, tottering for a few steps, then collapsing- Only to cartwheel into a flourish. "I'm strong!" She declared in childish excitement. Or sarcasm, if I guessed right. Trouncing off, she motioned for me to follow. Should I?

"Hurry up, it's not far."

"Last time you said that..."

"I promise it won't be far!"

Grumbling, I lunged onwards. I had ended up in another rugged area strung with trees and thickets. It was more work trying to circumnavigate all the boulders, but thankfully the underbrush was largely replaced with a short, thick grass. Little gold flowers were growing in clusters in the cracks and crevices. Umbra was picking these as she went along, until her hand was full and she threw them up in a shower of petals. Though, I thought, flowers didn't grow for her amusement, and she should stop harvesting them so carelessly.

Bah. Watching them flutter about her head was too entrancing. I didn't tell her anything.

"Hmm, hum, hmm hm hm hmmm," she began humming too.

I yawned, a little weary and battered. My legs were tiring out faster than the usual hike because of the constant long steps and hops and skips the rocky path obliged me to make. I had to breath through my mouth, little gasps for air. Umbra never slowed or showed a sign of fatigue.

"Hey."

"Ayeh?"

"How much farther?"

She raised her forefinger at a ridge in the distance. Two miles, perhaps. The thickets grew thicker till they had become a forest on its slope. "There."

"You liar, that's not short at all."

"It's not so bad."

"Yes it is."

She answered by picking up the pace, so that I was running, and failing, to keep up. How can she hop so easily over every one of these rocks? It's a mental exercise as much as an athletic one, to plant my foot right for each step. Yet, she was skipping along, gazing at the sky. Just when I thought I had lost sight of her, I broke through a strand of tall grass.

"See? Not hard at all."

"Well."

We had stumbled onto a dirt road, well compacted. It led up to a saddle in the ridge.

"Okay."

She slowed down to a trot.

"Good, almost sunset. Just in time."

"For what?" I asked.

"We can walk the rest, now."

"Whah? Answers, lady, answers!"

"I wanted to get out of the wilderness before dark. So the Ives wouldn't catch you."

"Ives?"

"Annoying creatures. They roam all over this place, but avoid the roads. City guard keeps them off the ridge, so we'll be totally safe when we get there."

"Define annoying." She gave me a curious look.

"Do you think the flu is annoying?"

"Yes...."

"Then annoying."

"Flu?"

"They bite other creatures, like people, to lay eggs in them. Causes a really bad flu when the beasties hatch and try to get out." My face contorted. "Oh, it doesn't cause any permanent damage. They come out your... ah... um..."

"Need I know?"

"Only if you're infected." We dropped the conversation at that, although, I wish we had something else to talk about. My imagination was inventing unwanted theories about Ive babies crawling out of my orifices.

The sky darkened. Evening was coming.

Come to think about it, without a sun, it wasn't getting very hot during the day. A little warmer, but not unpleasant. Chilly, though, at times, because of the breezes.

We had reached the forest, and whatever light we had didn't reach under the boughs. Umbra conjured up some spell or another, and a little soft light appeared in her hands.

"Here, you carry it." She tossed the light at me. I reactively flexed my hand out, not bothering to think of the ridiculous notion of catching light.

"Oof." It was rather heavy. On second look, it was felt like an apple or some other fruit.

"This is?"

"Magic."

"Can I ever get a straight answer from you?"

"Yes."

"Prove it."

"You haven't wondered how I was right there to catch you when you fell?"

"Magic," I threw back at her.

"No..." She rolled her eyes. Was I funny? "Guess again."

"Now it's a guessing game."

"I'd be more willing to answer you if you tried thinking for your own." I do think quite a bit about all the stupid riddles you put me through. Given how out of whack this whole place is, how am I supposed to even get close to the truth by guessing? I'll oblige her this time. After a minute of thought:

"During your arrangements, you conspired with the brothers to pretend to throw me off at that specific area, so that you could subsequently catch me, earn my trust, increase my reliance on you, and force me to walk cross-country _again_."

She gave me a bizarre expression that wandered between disbelief and insult.

"I guess it isn't safe to let you think on your own."

"Of course! Just feed me what I need to know like a mother feeding a baby, and we'll both be happy."

"What you need to know? Not much more how to breath and walk, really."

"Come on!" I protested.

"Fine. I saw the Cloud Walker and knew something was wrong. It doesn't come so close to land without a reason, and I knew you were in the sky."

"You knew about this?"

"The Cloud Walker? Of course. She's a god, she created this world. Everyone knows that."

"Yet, you didn't tell me about this. In fact, sending me on a rig with paranoid crew members willing to kill me just for not knowing about this Cloud Walker smells like conspiracy to me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think it'd come to that!"

"I don't believe you."

"Then why are you still following me?" said she, indignantly.

"Because." How was I supposed to say it? I had nothing else. I was as well off following her, murderous antics or no, as I was wandering into the wilderness.

"What else can I say to you?" she said with a tone of exasperation She stopped, turned to face me eye to eye, and leaned her head forward earnestly. "Trust me."

"I don't." I glared at her. She glared back.

"Fine."

After a few minutes she noticed I was still following her. Her shoulders sank in resignation, but no more bickering issued from her. Perhaps she thought I secretly did trust her, as I was still tailing her. She can think what she wants.

My thoughts wandered back to the Cloud Walker. Mostly they reflected how serene it was just to be in her presence. Then again, it also reminded me how she had thrown away the Master Sword; and also, that look of utter, innocent ignorance she had given me. The goddess seemed like she didn't care about me at all, just that silly dress.

"Umbra, when the Cloud Walker appeared, she took the Master Sword and chucked it out who-knows-where. I want to go back and find it."

"The what? Your sword? Well, I can't really stop you, but if you want to stay healthy, I'd suggest against it right now."

"Of course, right now. But I mean tomorrow, or the near future."

"That stupid blade mean so much to you?"

"Yes, it does. It's the whole point of me being here."

"How's that?"

"..." I still hadn't told her about myself.

"Just take my word for it."

"Whatever. You can do that on your own time. For now, ah!" She squealed. We had entered the forest, and subsequently, the path had steepened. As she squealed, the path suddenly reversed inclination. I was staring downwards towards another valley. Opposite of us was another ridge, backed by a taller ridge, and so forth, into mountains. Below, though, I could hear the faint sound of rapids. In between the boughs a bright light was shining.

Further on, with Umbra hopping in delight, we emerged onto a landing above a canyon. There was a railing; I took leisure to look over it.

Twas a city. An actual city.

"Welcome to Solace!" Umbra shouted with her great ole smile.


	14. Solace

**Chapter 14: Solace**

I'd have to question the logic of this city's founders. It was a white-water river surrounded by vertical canyon walls. On its own, it would have been impossible to pass, either upriver, downriver, or across it. In defiance of common sense, though, they had built houses, stores, halls, offices, and other buildings into the cliff walls. The white stucco structures latched onto whatever crack, ledge, or outcropping they could grab a hold of. Wooden beams anchored the stucco, and the roofs were made of tile. Wistful patterns had been painted across the walls with pastel colors.

Plazas and roads spanned between them, overhanging the rapids. We were walking down stairs and onto one such plaza. It looked like the largest of them, covering the entire gap of the canyon. A complex stood in two semi-circles on either side of us. Lanterns were strung above, criss-crossing the plaza and lighting it as well as daylight. In the center an aqueduct carried water to some statuesque contraption. A fountain lay at its feet. Umbra gestured towards it.

"Drink up."

"Alright."

I was about to dip my hands in, to cup it, when Umbra pointed to a spigot trickling water. I obliged, slurping the fount into my (admittedly, rather parched) mouth. It tasted like ordinary water; cold, but very refreshing after such a long hike.

"It's a filtration system, to keep the water clean. They're very health-conscious here."

"Aha."

"This is the town hall. On your left is the Public Hall; on your right is the Council Hall. Most civic functions are held in the Public Hall."

I nodded, not really listening.

"Hey, you need to learn this."

"Why?" I said, adding a *yawwwnnnn*.

"Because you're the newest resident."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"If I'm a resident, I must have some place to stay, and bed inside said place."

"Later."

Instead of answering her, I plodded myself down onto the plaza deck and began snoozing. A hand grabbed my collar and hauled me upright. "No, no nap time."

"Bitch."

My jaw promptly met the floor. Yay, more skull-rending pain.

"Damnit!" I brought my wide awake and bashed head face-to-face with her. She was fuming, like she would start screaming, but instead she slapped me. The swollen cheek doubled its agony.

"Solace does not tolerate that kind of language, and I certainly won't!"

"Whatever, please don't hit me anymore." She refused to answer that.

"Where to next?" I asked.

"There's something you might be interested in seeing." We began heading down the canyon, winding our way across bridges and overhangs. Our direction was downriver.

We passed several residents en route. They appeared not to notice us. One gentleman neatly stepped out of our path, though. The people might be shy here, or they might just be tired or afraid of human contact at this late hour.

"Psst, Umbra."

"Yes?"

"What's to stop these people from going insane on me, like the pirate brothers?"

She didn't say anything for awhile, which worried me.

"You're right. I know. We'll invent a cover story, and I'll fill you in, so you can pretend to be a regular person here. That way they'll never suspect a thing."

Good day, apprehension, how are you? Fine? That's great. Me and you are going to be the best of buddies from now on. –Note that sarcasm is often linked with negative, vulnerable feelings.

"Fill me in, please. I'd like that. When can we start?"

"Now, kinda. When we get to your new place we can start our game of charades. Right now, you'll just need a basic history lesson." Her head leaned back over her shoulders, smiling at me. I frowned back at her. "Oh, no need for that. Besides, I'll answer one of your questions."

"Which? There were a lot."

"You'll see!"

"Damn it!"

I noticed cycles of seething rage and apathetic wit in myself on hearing this woman's answers. If there was any hope to breaking that cycle, I needed to become much smarter. Maybe Solace had a library I could peruse. We had to shut up in order to jump down several flights of steps. Umbra wouldn't slow down, taking them three, six, ten steps at a time, leaping. Nimble as I was, I was still struggling to keep my footing on the slick, narrow spaces. Worst, the light from the lanterns didn't do the best job of illuminating the path. I needed to pause for a big breath when we reached the bottom. Fortunately, from there on the going was flat and steady.

This city was much larger than I expected. Sure, it wasn't that wide, but the canyon stretched several miles and Solace seemed to occupy all of it.

Her voice called out abruptly. "Cold?" she flung at me.

"I'm fine," I replied none too happily.

"Here," she procured a cloak out of nowhere and flung that at me too.

"Where'd this come from."

"Magic."

The cloak was like the buildings, creamy white but trimmed with pastel patterns. Umbra had got one on herself, which she was wearing in a peculiar way. The garment wasn't the simplest thing to put on, making me waste three good minutes trying to copy her. She turned her head again to view the result.

"Not bad, but you ought to know that's how girls wear them." The cloak came off in an instant.

"How do boys do it?" She turned and grabbed the fluttery vestment from me. Soon it was wrapped about my neck, like a scarf, and then draping down from there.

"Like that." It was actually easier than the way she wore it, although it didn't stop the slight shiver I'd been walking with.

"The canyon shelters Solace from the wind, so that's not really a problem. The mist from the falls are worst, so you need something that can keep you dry. These cloaks are wonderful for that."

And though it took another few plazas and bridges to find out, she was right. My body warmed up organ by organ.

"Thanks."

"Thank you for the thanks."

We finally arrived at the far end of town. Before us was the sudden end of the canyon, and the river, seemingly. A landing jutted out in a long arch over the river's end, bridging the two sides of the canyon. On one side was a series of catwalks, a small office, and a warehouse.

"That's where the soleros dock," Umbra pointed out. "Come." She walked me to the center of the arch.

Beneath me was the river, behind me was the city. Before me was a vast and dark land. The sky was clear and shone in a very light hue, like moonlight, but there were neither stars nor moon in the sky. This great view was afforded by a sheer drop on all sides. The river gave way to a great waterfall, who's bottom was so far under us I could barely hear the roar emanating from it. In fact, in the darkness, I couldn't even see the bottom. To my left and right the canyon ended because of a sheer cliff face. More so to my left, as that escalated into mountains, while on my right it gave way to small hills and eventually flat terrain. I couldn't tell for sure but it looked to be forested all round.

"Pretty, prettier if I could see more."

"You will. But first," and she waved me onwards again.

On the opposite side of the bridge was a structure I had seen but not comprehended right away. The other buildings here were firmly anchored to the cliff, as well as if they were part of the rock bed. This building was different. It was not even made of stucco. And soon I panicked a bit, because I realized that it was suspended out and over the sheer cliff. Its only solid attachment to the earth was a causeway – an arch of stone slimmer than my shoulders.

"Magic?" I wondered. It should be impossible for that structure to be held upright. The causeway ought to snap like a twig and the whole building fall. But, contrary to common sense, it hung in the middle of the air.

"Who knows?" Umbra had noticed my utterance. "This is the Cloud Temple. Whoever built it obviously wanted the epithet to mean something." The temple wasn't even of the same architectural style as the city. It was made of something akin to stone, like marble.

"The Cloud Temple?"

"Yep."

"Any relation to-"

"Yep."

She led me inside.

As she did, she said, "So - I guess I'd better tell you about the Cloud Walker. And," her voice suddenly lowering, losing its enthusiasm, "Wither."


	15. The Truth

**Chapter 15: The Truth**

When entering this abode, I expected something a little more… austere. An ancient temple deserves shadowed niches and elaborate sculpting, stained glass windows and carvened pillars. Not- curtains? Blankets? Sofas, pillows, lounges, futons, carpets, rugs, mattresses, saloons? It felt like a silken womb. Soft plushness covered every edifice, sometimes making it hard to walk. To lie down, however, must be eminently enjoyable- it's a frolicker's paradise.

"Can you grab the lever, there?" Umbra asked.

I did. The room was bathed in a soft light from multiple lanterns. I couldn't fathom what caused them to glow so, but their hue, and the way they waxed and waned, reminded me of fireflies. Umbra led me further in. Although the architecture changed, aesthetically, as we proceeded, it was hard to tell. The same profusion of comforts covered nearly all the floor, and most of the walls too.

Excepting, when we reached it, the center of the temple. There was a rug, yes, but only one, and it wound its way around a large, strange sculpture. At this angle I couldn't tell what it was supposed to be. Around one side, its base was somewhat flat and splayed out. A simple stool sat before this area. I take it this was used as a desk. The other sides seemed to be utilized as well. One reminded me of a kitchen, another a wash basin, complete with a barely trickling fountain, and the final area appeared to be a small, terraced cabinet or bookshelf. Towering above the set was a statue, something vaguely human or angelic, but having an inordinate number of wings at strange locations on the body.

"This is a temple?" I asked, with a faint hint of incredulity. "It looks more like a house. Someone with weird tastes."

"Comfy though, right?"

"Do you live here?" I ventured.

Umbra turned towards me, very slowly. "Nooooo….. C'mon." She motioned me over to the stool, and for me to sit. In doing so, I felt a little chill breeze. The other side of the temple opened onto a balcony. A sample of that magnificent view from outside could be seen.

"Here." I turned my attention back to the desk. Made of the same marble-like stone as the statue and the temple, whoever cut this piece must have been incredibly skilled, as it was flatter than a mirror. On its periphery were books. Umbra got me to grab one in particular, a hefty volume where the pages had tanned a great deal from age. On its cover was a simple depiction of a castle, although the artwork had an artistic depth to it. It, like everything in this temple, simultaneously screamed "quality!" and "oddity!" at the same time.

"Oltraficum, canar sateum, troi, marixus bue edu triunfantere," Umbra whispered, not to me but to the book. Amazingly, the picture morphed. The castle gate opened, then began inverting itself, unsnapping, unbolting, racketing into place, like a mechanical puzzle, till the cover became a scene of a treasure vault.

"What was that?"

"Magic. Hehe." She laughed at my grimace. "If you had pried it open without the spell, it'd be nothing but blank pages. Now open it."

"Hmm." It snapped open, as if the book bindings were held together by some force (it felt familiar; a wizard had shown me stones he called "magnetics" that pulled together the same). The words inside were hand written, in black ink. The writing was plain and easy enough to read, but undisciplined and sloppy.

_'I trust myself only, and to this new world, I trust to you my happiness, because, you are my creation.' _

"What?" I read it over three times. It was the only sentence on the page. Below it, a single line read:

'Faye'

"The author? Who is Faye?"

"Silly, who do you think it is?"

I wanted to say "you!", but didn't out of caution. Still it seemed the most likely answer. Till she gave me a hint-

"Remember where we are."

"The Cloud Temple…. The Cloud Walker? This book is the Cloud Walker's?"

"Yay! You got it!"

"That would mean… the Cloud Walker's name is Faye."

"Right." Now Umbra seemed happy, either with herself, or with me. Was this honestly exciting for her? "This is the Cloud Walker's diary, while they still visited the earth."

I turned the page.

_'I made a Star, but it was too bright, and hurt my eyes, so I dashed it to a quintillion pieces, and filled the sky with it. Then the day never ended, and me and mine never knew rest, only tiredness. They begged me, "Give us night! Give us night! Enough of this perpetual dawn!" So then I took Night, and dashed it into a quintillion pieces too, and set them amongst the Star's dust, and set them afoul each other, like the tides, so that the Starlight and the Nightshadow vexed each other, conquering the other at times, bringing a semblance of the Night and Day that had once been known. As the cycles became ordered, I thought a record that would be recorded on a timely basis, this basis being my new Day, was proper, and did, and here it is. Let it be a consolation to my mind… this, the 1__st__ Day of the tidal lights.'_

Huh…. So that explains the lack of sun.

"They're not easy to understand," commented Umbra.

"It sounds like you know her."

"Her?" intoned Umbra.

"She looked like a girl, when I saw her."

"I don't know if gender is really applicable to something like the Cloud Walker. But, as to knowing "her", I study them. It's very useful to know about the creator of your world."

"Really." I flipped the pages forward, not bothering to read the text. All I wanted, for now, was the tidbit at the end.

_'The 14__th__ day.'_

_ 'The 201__st__ day.'_

_ 'The 89__th__ day, the 2__nd__ season.'_

_ 'The 100__th__ day, the 3__rd__ season.'_

"How long are seasons?" I asked.

"224-or-5 days," Umbra answered. She leaned over to look at the page. "Why?"

I flipped to the last entry.

_'The 3__rd__ day, the 229__th__ season.'_

"These are dates, I guess. I wanted to see how long ago she wrote this."

"I could've told you that. 1230 seasons ago- give or take a few seasons. It's not always been consistent."

"Are you something like a historian?"

"I'm a little of everything," she replied. She tapped her forehead, emphasizing- I've no idea what. "Though, good, you turned to the last page. It's important. Read it." I began reading the page, which was longer than the others, and the handwriting smaller, even sloppier, and difficult to read now.

_ 'I hate him. I hate him I hate him I hate him. I HATE HIM! Arrogant monster! MONSTER! Terrible, yes, that's what I created him to be, terrible, destructive, feared! Cold-blooded, mindless, HEARTLESS! Not a mind at all but a tool, and then, nothing worthy of being called good. A lamb in monster's vesture would be all too welcome, compared to the malificence in that heart and mind, that took the form of a snake BY CHOICE! And now, here I am, defenseless, stripped, naked, bereft of name, of power, of decency, of clothing! Damn that knave! Filth! Withering mass of, not even death, but decay. Life without purpose, without dignity, without freedom, a tyrant. Withered thing. Wither. A ripe, fit name for such a vile thing, and if it's my last act, he shall be known as such, to all this decrepit world, so that they may hate him like I do. Yes, may it rue, however wistfully, how faintly, for all eternity, ever disobeying its creator! To all of them, rui it! Why should it come to this!_

_My world, MY world, the world I created with my hands and my feet, my heart and my imagination, should not have come to this. He had only shilfffptt_ (at this the writing scrawled off one edge, then appeared the next row down, but was written over atop itself akin to _'water ransacked/raked in the mirror…. less a nightmare?_' It became slightly legible three rows down). _This stupid temple is too windy; it's too cold, I want it shut, I want the balcony closed for Goddesses' sake. Close! But it won't. Where are my thoughts? My thoughts are nothing if they stay in my hea!? Why won't my world and my life obey me anymore? What happened?Why?!_

_ It was his fault, but he was mine, so is it my fault? I can't be led to blame myself, or… or… or… Forget the whole affair. I can't! The future is at hand, and it is only the past, ad naseum._

_ I don't see anymore hope here. Only life. A null life. A dull life. A…. ______ _(the text didn't so much scrawl here as merely tear into the page.)

_My head, it hurts, it hurts----_

_ Ugh-_

_ You.'_

I looked up. "What does it mean?"

Umbra stared back, somewhat sorrowfully. "It means the Cloud Walker is a victim of their own creation. She created Wither, the snake, the tyrant. He, Wither, rebelled, and attacked them. I gleaned, from other histories, that their god-powers failed, and Wither was able to rend their mind, soul, power, and body, consuming them or setting them adrift, powerless, pitiful. The creature that wanders the clouds is a mere shell, full of meaningless memories and insignificance. Whatever of 'her' that made them a god, that let her create Luft, was taken by Wither."

"Could you just call them a her? I'm pretty sure I saw a feminie body up there."

"Fine. Moving on, Wither established himself as lord and dictator over Luft, and told all its people some of the truth: that the Cloud Walker is his and Luft's 'mother', and she granted him dominion of Luft, and now wanders the skies for her own peace of mind. Some might know the truth; they don't bring it up, or else…"

"He'd kill them."

"Horribly."

"Why would the Cloud Walker create such a monster? How could she? And why did her powers fail her? She doesn't sound very godlike at all."

Umbra shrugged. "Who knows? Her? Unlikely, given her what she says here," pointing at the diary. "Wither, maybe, but I will not ask him, even if I'm one of the few who has the least to fear from him."

"Why? What makes you special?"

"… It's complicated," she said.

"Yes?"

She searched round the room, conjuring thoughts, or lies- which I didn't know, and it's unlikely any answer would mean anything to me.

"I'm kind of a favorite of his, he won't kill me- he can't hurt me, physically, so to speak. You can call it magic. Or a curse."

"Huh. Doesn't make a lot of sense."

"But he doesn't always like me, and he might try to harm my interests, if I upset him." Her tone was growing ever more gloomy.

"Like helping a stranger? Say, a guy you found on a cliff, randomly, not from Luft, the kind of person who's forbidden to even exist in this world?"

"Yeah-" she smiled goofily, admitting her mistake. "Please don't blame me, I didn't force you to come here." The smile quickly faded.

"No, he did… in a sense."

"He? Wither?"

"Yes."

"Uhuh. What?" I shrugged. "Kinda funny, you're the mistrustful one, always asking questions, but you haven't told me anything about yourself."

"Because I'm the one under duress here. If I was a wily, empowered sprite acting in their home territory, I wouldn't be half so bad as you've been."

"Well I'm sorry again. Still."

Umbra left me and flopped into a sofa. She lay her hand over her eyes, like a maiden of nobility when tired and stressed. She seemed weak and fragile, quite a contrast with the headstrong, sharp personality she was always putting on.

"Now what? Is this all true?"

"True?" she asked. I didn't reiterate. She sighed.

"I've spent my life- my long, long life- trying to bring back the Cloud Walker. I love her, you should know."

Love? Like, that kind of love? I really didn't want to ask aloud.

"It means a lot to me. And I know how to do it. Some of it. Anyways. Not all, but there's a start. Open that other book."

I did. "That's a map on the third page." It was indeed, a rather crude, fanciful map drawn in dye. It resembled, a little, the continent of Luft I had seen from the air. Four circles dotted the landscape.

"I think Luft took the memories from the Cloud Walker and tried to devour them. But they sickened him, for some mental reason. So he warped and tortured them, to become monsters, and hid them in the far corners of Luft. He doesn't want anything to do with them. Or anyone else to touch them either. As if they could. No one alive is strong enough, smart enough to assault those- things. Those memories are key to reviving the Cloud Walker from her torpid fairy-fluttering existence." Umbra lifted her hand, again to stare at me with those grey eyes. I sensed what she was about to say, for once. "I need your help to recover them."

"Why?"

"Because you're strong enough."

"No, I mean, why should I help you." I glared back at her.

"Easy," she gave a little smile. "Because the Cloud Walker can protect you. And, maybe, get you home."


	16. Home Away From Home

**Chapter 16: Home Away From Home**

The place wasn't special at all. It was hidden, hard to see and hard to find. A series of ladders and catwalks wound their way round the edifices of apartments, cliffs, and rocky outcroppings. We were ascending the south butress of the canyon. The place seemed abandoned, dimmer and more remote than the other sections of the city. When we arrived, I was happy only because I was finally allowed to rest.

"This is my home." It was a cylinder, a door, and two slits for windows. Inside was a bed, a table, a wash basin, and assorted decorations on the table. There was hardly anything inside. No dishes. No heating. No clothing. Where was the kitchen? The pantry? The food! The bed had a single linen blanket, not even a pillow, or a mattress, just a cot, really. No tools either. How could someone live here.

"Your thoughts are meandering," Umbra said. I glanced at her, afraid she could now read my mind. "Don't like my place?" she asked.

"It's…. bare."

"It passes, for me. You too, unless you want to find an inn?" There was a hint of menace in this latter suggestion, which confused me more. An inn sounded fine to me right now. Yet…..

_Calm down, Thiel. You're tired, that's why you're confused and your mind is wandering. _

"You know what?" I asked, faintly.

"What?"

"Just- goodnight." I didn't care anymore. This day had been too long as is. I flopped on the bed without another word. Umbra patted me on the back; in a minute, I was blacked out.

I could go home. That's what she offered. Where was my home? Holodrum? That's where my family resided. I haven't seen them for years. Why would I go back there? How could I? I can't face my mother. I can't stand my father. The home itself offers no privacy; I shared a room with my siblings. They might not even live there anymore; Father could have been moved to a different station. There wasn't much discussion about my future before I left, but it didn't sound like I was welcome to stay at home forever. They expected me to get out and find my own way in the world, although I doubt they'd be pleased with the way I did it. Besides the family, there wasn't any place in Holodrum I was particularly attached to.

Really, though, the offer wasn't just passage to my place of origin. I wandered the world; there were any number of places I could call home. The offer was a return to that whole world, the one I was familiar with. Presumably, with that, I would also be free from Wither and his paranoid subjects. On the other hand, I might be the world's most wanted criminal, with Hyrulian bounty-hunters scouring the globe looking for me.

"I'm tired, let me sleep on it," I had answered. Umbra took it in stride. She must have felt confident she could convince me to help her. Which wasn't a bad assumption, since I had followed her every command like a loyal puppy. Seeing as I passed out instantly, I wouldn't have an answer when I got up. That'd probably mean I'd go along with her blindly, if she pushed it.

As if I could trust her. If I refused, would she leave me? Would she betray me, fetch the others so that they could haggle and hound me, and murder me, or hand me over to Wither, like those brothers considered doing? I hadn't know Umbra long enough to know what her favorite food or color was, let alone know if she'd risk anything to save my hide. If she was indifferent to my response, what could I do? Live here? Would that be too bad? In the past week or so, I had been through enough pain, misery, and danger as the entirety of my life heretofore had provided. Death was not a . And now, this lady proposed that I should fight four ungodly beasts and, probably, that living horror of a snake.

I don't have to die for her sake.

But she did save me. And it wasn't like she was responsible for the events leading up to that near-death.

Oh, but remember, she almost walked off. Then she suddenly changed her mind. And I don't know why.

________________

The dungeon had faded into complete darkness. Evening had come again to the unseen world above. I couldn't tell if anyone was still listening, or if they were tired of it. I mumbled on anyways, not caring.

"In my thoughts, I only ever thought of me, at that time. Me me me, what was best for me, what was the smart thing to do, for me, my future. Link, don't think I haven't heard about you. Or your ancestors. Heroes. All of them. They don't even stop to think about themselves, don't bother to say 'Wait a minute'. Adventure shows up, and you're off, ready to fight evil for the greater good. I could never be like that."

"It's harder than you imagine. And it's not a burden that anyone could shoulder. I'm glad, actually, not many people should be asked to bear that burden," Link said, proving someone was still following.

"Aye, but some can take a corner of the burden. I would shirk from even my own little shred of responsibility. I'm terrible, terribly selfish. Princess," I addressed myself to Zelda's location, "you asked if I didn't love? Well here's a part of the answer: love is selfless. How can the selfish love?"

"How indeed?" came her response. Does she expect me to answer that? Does she think I know the answer? But her voice is smiling, as if I did know the answer, and the one waiting for it to come out the most- is me.

_____________

The next day was nearly over, by the time I got up. Umbra wasn't in the room, and I was scared she had run off again. Allaying my fears, her figure crossed the frame of the door. She was outside, doing some chore or another. I stumbled out to greet her, yawning and stretching my arms as I went.

"Good mornin! Or evening, really. We've got to get you on a healthy schedule. And there's a meal right there, for ya. Oh, and say hi to Yobi."

"Yobi?"

"Yeah."

Who is…. and my question was interrupted by a yellow fur ball flying into my face.

"OOOFFFF!" I batted the thing down, to no avail. My face was quickly slathered by a wet nose and roving tongue. After many a moments' torture, I got a handle on the thing and extended my arms.

"Hoy!" It said.

"It's a keaton," I exclaimed.

"Close. He's a yobi. Ergo, Yobi." I took a closer look.

"Aha! A keaton should have three tails, this has four."

"Yep!" said the yobi- Yobi.

"Um… are you… sentient?" I asked.

"What is sentient mean?" it asked in a chippy voice.

"It means… never mind." I looked towards Umbra, hoping for an explanation.

"Sentient means you can think and speak and are free. So yes, Yobi, you are sentient."

"Yay, I sentient! I sentient!" It pronounced the word "sen-TI-ent" with three very distinct syllables.

"So you are, but not very smart," I mumbled. Umbra shot me a glare.

"Yobi, go fetch a parcel from Mr. Uaclauf. Hurry up!"

The critter scampered down the catwalks chanting "I senTIent, I senTIent!"

"So, yeah, he really isn't that brilliant, but he's helpful, and cheery, and not a little foul-mouthed ingrate like a certain guest." Umbra watched him go with a grin.

"My apologies," I returned.

"I found him abandoned, nursed him, brought him up as a pet. I didn't realize at first, thought they were just a weird kind of fox. But then he started repeating words, and nudging stuff about, and I figured out he had some modicum of intelligence. Tried to teach him, but… well, as I said, a _modicum_."

"So, what? Is he a pet?"

"And a housekeeper. I'm lazy, I guess, he does all the chores. Not a bad cook, I think, try your supper."

"He cooks?" I asked, incredulously. Umbra waved me to the plate sitting at the shelf. Was I hungry?

Yes. Yes I was.

"Don't stuff it down like a pig! You won't even taste it!" I didn't care. It was crumbly/mushy and went down the throat easily. The taste was decent, not anything I recognized. I licked the plate clean and set it aside. She frowned at me. I smiled back.

"Have you decided what my cover story is?"

"Have you decided if you're going to help me?" she replied.

"That depends," I threw back at her.

"On what?"

"What's in it for me."

"What?" she spat in mild surprise. "Isn't that obvious? You get to go home."

"And what if I don't want to go home? What if I want to stay here? And so what if I do want to go home, don't I deserve that inherently? What do I get for actually risking life and limb for this endeavor?"

"You get to go home, where you aren't in imminent danger of being discovered and eaten every single minute. Why's that not enough? Are you greedy?"

"Yes." Smug is me.

"Fine."

"And?" I asked when she didn't say anything more. There was no reply. She got up and left the premise.

"Where are you going?" I asked. I chased her outside, to a rooftop. "How much do you actually need me? Hmm?" She just stood on the edge.

"I don't."

"…"

"…"

"Why don't you need me? You asked."

"Well, if you won't, there's really nothing going."

"Yeah, well, you seemed pretty interested in getting this thing done, and I'm asking for something in return for helping you."

"I did offer something. Safety and a trip home. Isn't that what you'd want? Isn't that what anyone would want?"

"Not me."

This was not going well. I wasn't actually set on not helping her, or getting some treasure or another. What I wanted was information, and to see what she was hiding. And yes, she's hiding something. I know from experience people never want something simple, and they certainly don't ask for a bodyguard for free, nor do they say everything about the job, especially if it's unsavory.

"Well?"

"I think I'll just hang around. Sorry?" I was about to walk away when she began shouting.

"**Hey, everyone! Guess who showed up here?! His name is Thiel and….**" and that's how far she got before I clamped her mouth shout. She struggled, so I choked her with my other arm.

"Ooof!"

She settled down. Then her elbow viciously jabbed my ribcage, the same place that was still healing from the bullet. The lithe girl slipped away as I reeled over in pain.

"See? You're as likely to get hurt sitting still as helping me. Just do what I ask."

"Hoy! Amber! Hoy!" A pair of fellows were making their way up the catwalks and ladders. They appeared older, parental-age. One had a neatly trimmed beard, the other had a flowy mane. They both wore poncho-like robes that matched the city's white-with-pastel-shapes-trim decorum.

"Hoy!" She waved them up.

"What was that you were yelling? Oh! You have a guest."

"Aye!" She gave me a sideways stare. Her eyes said, "_Help me or I rat you out right here, see how far you make it._"

"Hi. I'm Thiel. Pleased to meet you." They made a slight bow, which I returned.

"I am Flain," said the first.

"Sonall," said the second, plainly, through his thick beard.

"A good morning to you, sirs," said Umbra, politely.

"It has been a good morning. We were just checking our wares at the dock," he told Umbra. "And you seem lively this morning, Miss Amber. What are you up to?

"Nothing much, depending on this fellow." She motioned towards me. Her face was lit with stern expectation. What exactly did she expect of me, in this situation?

"And you, young lad. What business do you have with the willowy lady? And what was she saying before?"

"I was passing through, talking small talk."

"Ah."

"Yes. Actually, I was about to set out myself," said Amber, still darting angry glances my way, in between sickly sweet smiles. "I was going to see if Thiel would accompany me."

"Ah, that would be kind of him. The wilderness is so dangerous these days."

"Though, sadly, I won't be able to help the lady," I added. "I've pressing business elsewhere, but I hope she does take precautions as to her safety. Why, I was attacked myself recently. Injured, actually, a vicious beast caught me by surprise- which is why I can't be of service." This little ploy was helped by the fact that I was still clutching my ribcage the whole time. Umbra's smile grew the more strained when she figured out the reference. Flain and Sonall didn't seem to notice. They were focused on me. Even under pressure, though, I can keep my composure pretty well.

"Oh, that's a shame. Will you be seeing mon Theur?"

"Who?" I can keep my composure if I know the society I'm dealing with, that is.

"You don't know mon Theur? The doctor, of course!"

"Oh, pardon me, I haven't been to Solace."

"Why, how could you not know the mon Theur?"

"Hmm?"

Oh gimme a- Sigh….

Did I stumble into another one of these cultural land mines? I inched a little to the side, trying to gain a terrain advantage, should certain unfortunate actions become necessary.

The two men's brows upturned. Curiosity? Suspicion? How could I cover this up? Think - got to be a way to dodge this….

"He's from far away south, they are called doctors in those parts."

Salvation.

"Doctors? Well, that is a strange word. I suppose they are different in the south," the one called Flain said as he eyeballed my apparel. "Being so close to the forbidden land, and … _his_ castle and all."

"Thiel here is quite _strange_, to be sure. Still, he'll be fine, I'm also sure."

"Ah, good. Well, is there really no emergency, then?"

"Oh, that," she said, with feigned sheepishness. "I wanted to introduce Thiel to everyone, but he was too embarrassed and asked me to stop. He's such a great character if he weren't so _relucant_ and shy."

"I see, I see. Well then, we can be on our way. Many blessings," Flain nodded to me.

"Many blessings, and long happiness," said Sonall (and I realized he never even said a complete sentence during our chat). They went back down the rings of platforms, reassuring others along the way that Amber was fine. Shortly afterwards I met a couple named Miel and Turly, and then a kid nicknamed Kappy, and then another couple whom only the husband/boyfriend (I couldn't tell) talked ( his name was Allansor) and who was very interested in news from the south, and I had to beg off on account of my long journey and injury. Umbra would pipe in every once in awhile to assuage them or head off inconsistencies, but generally said nothing. At last they were all gone. As a lot, these Solaceans were rather normal people, something I didn't expect. Sure, they were more curious than average, and they all seemed to hold "Amber" in high regard. Good, clean people noentheless. Still, there was the ever-lurking threat to all their words:

_You are a stranger. You had best be a normal stranger, or else!_

I felt that thought coursing through their conversation.

"How sociable you are," Umbra said curtly. We were alone again, and her "happy-cheery-polite-time!!" façade vanished. She turned back, towards her little house.

"Hey!"

When we were inside she still refused to speak to me.

I knew what this was about, but still a riddle bugged me. She was upset because I refused to play hero for her. Aside from my reasons of not wanting to be a hero, I wanted to get a reaction out of her, to show her that her manipulations and dependency-entrapments would not all work one way. Well, it worked. She wasn't willing to reveal me to the townsfolk. While I gambled she would do that, and was right, I still didn't know why.

And now, she wouldn't talk, or even look at me. She lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. There was nowhere to sit, so I stood, looking at her. When I got tired, I walked out. Outside her hut was the rooftop and the cityscape below me. Around the sides the hut melded into the cliff-side, and the canyon top was not too high up from here. I scrambled over the rock and grass to reach the top, and found a seat at the edge.

From this vantage point I could see Luft, laid out in all its magnificence. From the air it had looked even vaster, but its real size had been lost from so high up. Here I had less to see, but it amazed me the more now that I could make out details, and measure the scale of its landscape.

Surrounding my back was the forest. IT was thin and short, though, and wasn't blocking my vision much. Far, far behind me rose the peaks, nigh vertical at their center, the tallest pinnicle hidden in the sky itself, for being so tall. Before me, the river dropped over the cliff and into a great lake. It wound about like an engorged sea monster, then blossomed into an absolutely enormous crater, the far edges of which were beyond sight. Without a sun, the water did not glare or reflect so much light, leaving the depths crystal clear. What looked like coral reefs rimmed and criss-crossed the crater. The surrounding vegetation varied, from forest to field to shrub to jungle. The foilage varied, from smooth to rough to bushy to reedy, with every color between green and blue represented. There was no dry, desolate regions, no gaping holes, no hodgepodge of ill, wasted lands, like so many other lands from my own world. It looked peaceful, when it was not awe-inspiring. A paradise, as if not a work of nature but of an artist.

It was awhile I sat there, contemplating nothing more than what I saw, which was unusual for me. I felt brain dead, but that was fine. Not thinking about my problems felt pleasant.

Presently, Umbra came out, looking about. She was trying to find me. I merely waited, till she spotted me on her own. She climbed up to my position slowly, with no sense of alarm, anger, disturbance, or any other negative disposition. She took a seat next to mine, and yet still said nothing. She looked tired.

"It's pretty, your world," I commented.

"Mmm."

"Better than mine. I don't know about the folks, yet, I haven't been here long. But I wouldn't mind staying here, if they turn out normal."

"Mmm."

"Maybe if I learn to fit in better. Or just find the right village."

"…" - not even a grunt now.

"I don't want to go back. I can't."

"…….. Why?" she whispered.

"I can't tell you."

"Why?" she asked, louder but still tenuously.

"I can't say."

"…."

She has her past, I have mine. I don't have confidence in staying here, but I don't feel safe, anymore, going back. In truth, I couldn't articulate why that's a problem to me, not right now.

"It's an issue of trust," I made up a white lie.

Her head turned towards me. I found myself thinking the same as when we first met. Grey hair, trimmed short, sloppily so. Blank, dark grey eyes… no, they were deep blue, but only when they caught the light a certain way. An angular face, soft but not round, oval, curvy, or poofy. Delicate is the word I want to use. A delicate face, the kind I'm attracted to.

But her personality - ugh! The incessant aloofness, confoundment, manipulation. I did not want to be attracted to this girl, it would crack my nerves.

"Trust?"

"Um…." I didn't feel like I could articulate that further. She spoke up first, though.

"You are from outside Luft."

"Yes."

"From Hyrule?"

"No." I only passed through- "Wait. How would you know about Hyrule?"

She tucked her chin in, and again was silent. For a few moments, at least, before it became rude: "I've been in Luft so long, it's hard to remember. But… yeah. I've been outside. To _that_ world. Hyrule, and other lands. I know it exists, unlike those people," she waved at the city below. "They would think you're a monster, a demon. To them, either you're born here, or created by the Cloud Walker, or you come from the nothingness. If the latter, that means you can only be evil, and Wither will destroy evil beings. If I was like them, had never seen the other universe, I'd believe that too. I admit, I'm afraid of you. But I understand where you're from, and how hard it must be coming here. I thought you'd like to go back, and I thought I could leverage that. And though I'm afraid of you, for the same reason, I envy you, and believe you have the ability to fight Wither."

"Thank you."

"For what?" she asked.

"For being honest, for once."

"I've been honest all the time, kind of," said she.

"Not like now."

It wasn't surprising. I couldn't tell if she'd known about the normal universe for certain, but she seemed like she could know of it. Well, she did. It was the sentiment, though, the tone in her voice, that I could tell she was telling me something she'd rather not. I still could not guess her every motive and secret, but… unfortunately, I still can't trust her with mine. It might be straining for her to trust me, and that's why she 's been playing mind games this whole time. I don't want to dash that trust by opening up my past.

"I'm sorry, but I still can't say why I can't go back there."

"That's fine. But does it really mean you won't help? As is…."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter if you don't want to go back. But, this world is suffering, and the Cloud Walker is suffering, and things aren't so nice as you might think. Wither's reign is bad for everyone, especially you. Unless you're suicidal, you shouldn't want him to stay in power, no matter what else you do."

"Hmm." I still have the emotion of doubt, even if no logical reason existed to support it. "Why do I need to do it, anyways?"

"Because I am weak."

"You've saved me a number of times. You know way more about this than I do. Don't pretend you're weak to hide your real reasons."

"I'm not lying!" She yelled out in indignance.

"Alright. You're not. As much as I trust you, I'm still very much in the dark about all this. I need to know everything before I jump in."

"Will you, if I tell you?"

"Yes." I will help her. I'll save her Cloud Walker, I'll beat Wither, if I can (no guarantees). Like I intended from the start, I agreed, just like that.

"Then, well, you'll be glad. I'm not ready to tell you everything. You're not ready to hear it. And, frankly, we're not ready to go save the Cloud Walker, either. But I just want your trust, first."

"You have some of it. The rest depends on what happens next."

"Mmm. Then, why don't we get you situated, maybe?"

"Some clothes, like they're wearing, would be nice," I suggested.

"No, no, you'll never do as a Solacean. I'm going to pass you off as a Wildelander."

"A wuh?"

"Wildeland is the area around that Solero outpost. It's got a few farmers, hunters, people who like to live alone. It's good, because even the Wildelanders don't know everyone who lives there. And it'll be easy to pass you off, because Wildelanders are thought to be ignorant and unknowledgeable, so your blunders will be blamed on that."

"Gee thanks." Great. I was going to be a country hick. A smart-mouthed, city-slickened, clever-ass country hick, but nontheless… ugh.

"There are two people who aren't going to be fooled by this," I told her.

"Who?"

"The Navlaw Brothers."

"I've got a plan for them," said Umbra, thinking. I'd love to know what it is, because the only option I know of is murder.

"Well, we'll get to that. First…."

"What is it?"

She smiled her mischievous smile. Sigh. What now?

"SenTient! SenTient! SenTient! Iyiyiyiyiyi senTient!" came a familiar chippy voice.

"Yobi's brought lunch." Umbra's smile grew all the bigger as my exasperation flared all the redder on my cheeks.


	17. Geography and Biology Lessons

**Chapter 17: Geography and Biology Lessons**

Three days later, I was back in the temple. Turns out, Umbra's healing magic sucks. She tried her darndest to mend my ribcage, but….

"GRARGLEGARGLE!" Despite her protests, I had moved back into the temple to take advantage of all the comforters. My chest was a wreck, and feeling worst each day. I couldn't turn over without spasmming. Even though I could walk, getting up or sitting down was a tournament between pain and my willpower, pain winning. After I fell flat on my face from another spasm, I determined to get some comfort.

"Oh, it's infected," said Umbra, upon inspecting me as I lay on my back. "No wonder. I guess it'll need medicine. Hmm." Oh joy, an infection. What's next? The plague? Insanity? "Sunbud's Nectar might work. Stay here till I get back." She got up. "Yobi, we're going on a field trip."

"Yay-yay! Field trip field trip!" The creature bounded after her. I was all alone, for once. Not that I could enjoy the solitude, my rib ached.

"Take care."

"Urgh." I crawled across to the stone desk and pulled as many volumes as I could off it. I then collapsed back into the sofas and cushions. The first thing I pulled out was the book with the map in it. "Luft, a Guide" scrawled across its cover. I opened it up to the map page.

Five red circles dotted the surface. I flipped the map round to orient it, and soon found Solace and the southern Wildelands. Near the Wildelands was the silhouette of a tall, crudely-drawn tower, circled in red. That must be Wither's castle. Another circle was way up north, circling some sort of building. This one was squarish and better detailed than Wither's hideout. A third circle was at the edge of a bay, an offshoot to the giant crater lake I had seen. The last two were smooshed together, almost on top of each other, and situated in the dead center of the map. That would be the peaks. Two circles? Does that mean both monsters are near each other? I can't imagine fighting one normal moblin right now, let alone two monstrosities at the same time.

I spent the rest of the day reading. I learned, through references, that the northern building was a great library, founded by the first Luft-person (Luftran? Luftian? I can't find their demonym) shortly before they died. Apparently millions of volumes, written by an elite school of students, chronicling all the knowledge in the universe, resided there. However, something akin to a curse overtook the place. No one's been there for over fifty seasons. That'd probably be our beasty.

The mountain was originally much smaller. Legend says Mount Lew, as it was called, was a peaceful place with a small community living at its peak. Long ago, a sage from that community tried to befriend a dragon. The dragon got involved in a war and was wounded, where it returned to the mountain and died. It's blood seeped into the crags and deep into the earth, which angered the mountain spirit? What? The mountain began erupting, destroying the community and turning the peak into a molten spearhead. The eruption never ended, so that the peak continually built itself into its present sky-scraping height. Ever since, the Hoshevel has scaled its surface, trying to appease the mountain spirit's wife, in order to claim the treasure….? Um…. wah? This chapter made no sense. Treasure? Hoshevel? What is a Hoshevel? Was it the dragon? A relative? Was the dragon my foe? War, with whom? Mountain spirits? Spirit's wives? And the other beastie, what could it be? The sage? The Hoshevel? And besides all that, how am I going to climb said volcano, let alone get close to the lava? Grrr. Moving on!

The bay had very little mentioned, only saying there was a temple built over a crack in the earth, from which a cold, magical wind blew. The gale had the power to soothe wounds and to suspend bad health, but could not permanently heal. No mention of monsters or why a beastie might be there. Besides, when I double-checked the map, a symbol locating the temple was a little outside the red circle. Perhaps the creature hid way underground, inside that crack. If that was the case, I predict a long subterranean trek, not something to get enthusiastic about.

Wither's Castle, interestingly, had no mention whatsoever. I couldn't figure out why.

What became apparent to me, is that Luft was a normal and busy land, like any other. The books talked about history, and education, and helping the sick, and their myths and legends, and how to raise a family, and who has power where, and their courts and laws, and festivals, and how to cook their favorite dishes, and, well, all the things that make life livable.

Why do I get the feeling, then, that this world is gloomy and empty?

"Back." Umbra strode in, Yobi prancing about her feet. She wasn't smiling.

"Do you get the medicine?"

"Um… no."

"Uhuh. What's the problem?"

"Well. Remember the Navlaw Brothers?"

"How could I forget." My ribcage panged again. "Wait. They CAUSED THIS BLOODY INFECTION! Of course I remember them!"

"Well, they were also delivering a shipment of Sunbud's Nectar, and they never showed up."

"What?"

"No one knows anything. Their Solero hasn't been seen anywhere near Solace."

"So…. Wait. Don't tell me I have to go find their ship."

"No, no, why would I make you do that?"

"I don't know…." I shrugged. Because you're a sadistic, treacherous slaver.

"You have that infection, you're not going anywhere."

"Right. Great."

"Right, so since you can't go anywhere, and I don't know how to get my hands on another shipment, and those brothers can't be counted on to show up soon… or ever…. we're going to grow your own Sunbuds. By we I mean you."

"Why me?"

"Because the buds will respond better to a nurturing hand, who's sure to love them because of his dire need."

"How?" Incredulity spread over me. It really is an endless narration of woe and setbacks for me, isn't it? "It's nothing gross, is it?"

"…. Maybe."

I frowned at her. A big, mean, unpleasant frown.

"I'm sorry! It was a joke." She waved Yobi to my side, who promptly dumped a satchel and ran off.

"Wa-lalalala! Here go! Bubye!" Yobi bounced into a large pile of blankets and immediately fell into a snooze. Umbra returned to the desk and began looking over its contents.

"Oh, and I lied. Sorry." She said off-handedly.

"Big surprise. Lied about what?"

"It is kind of gross. Actually, really gross."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She pointed to the satchel.

"There're Sunbud seeds in there. We could plant them and harvest them in a pot, and wait like… twenty days before we can harvest them."

"I'll be dead!"

"Right, so we're just going to grow them inside your wound. They'll grow faster and the nectar will circulate in your flesh directly, without us waiting for the flowers to bloom so we can harvest it. That should work out."

"Wait," I said. "WAIT!" I yelled. "We're growing a plant inside of me?!?!"

"Um, in essence, yes."

I had to think for a moment, to consider whether this really was gross. Or just to comprehend the matter. Why yes, I get it now, we're going to plant flowers into _my living flesh_. UGH!

"I object to this. I vehemently object to this."

"Well, when you consider the alternative…."

"Right, I die from infection. I still object to this. Find another way."

"I meant, if you consider what an infection is… Oh right, you wouldn't know that."

"What? What's an infection?"

"Tiny bugs. Bugs so tiny you can't see them with your eyes. Parasites, too, and not only do they grow inside you, they have a bajillion babies, who have their own babies, and they're eating your flesh to make said babies, and all of that is going inside you _right now_. So, fine, if you'd rather not have a clean, symbiotic plant life growing inside your rotting flesh and healing it instead, I can totally see where you're coming from. Tell me how death feels, I've never experienced it."

"You win." That grin could not possibly grow larger.

Point taken, case made, let's get this over with. Umbra nodded and began instructing me on how to handle the delicate seeds, how to situate them into my moldy, bloated wound (which HURT, by-the-by), how to dress it, and what I should do for the next week or so - mostly sleep (Yay!) and subsist off of water and milk (boo). In the meantime, she could teach me about being a Wildelander.

"Get some rest, and I'll grab some new clothes for you by the time you wake up."

"Sure." And I yawned, and slumped into my new favorite activity of twenty hour naptimes.

In the moments before unconsciousness set in, I thought about the things I'd read. Mostly recapping the five locales I'd be visiting in the future, and what kind of dangers they'd present. I thought about my past, the tombs and vaults and forts I'd infiltrated, and the wild beasts and minor monsters I'd dispatched. 'I can do it', I thought. In a regular fight, I was no better than a peasant. But I had ways to fight, to kill, to overcome. Hopefully, they're up for the task. Maybe I won't have to fight. Maybe I'll find a different way to fix this mess. And when, or if, I do?

Eh, we'll see. Sleepy time.

Oh, and that night, I had a nightmare about tiny carrion beetles and spiders having a picnic in my guts.

I love my life.


	18. The Sword in the Stone

_ Sorry for the hiatus, life is what it is. In exchange, the longest chapter yet, and lots of action._

** Chapter 18: The Sword in the Stone**

"Bad news, I found your sword."

?

"How is that bad news?" I asked.

"Right, so… where to start," Umbra muttered. "Don't do that!" she yelled. I jerked my hand back. You know the Sunbud? Yeah, it was blooming into little gold flowers out of my side, and it itched like hell.

"So…. What's wrong?"

"Smell that?" she asked. I sniffed. Yes, there was some odor in the air, reminding me of… of…. of…

"Sulfur? Did something blow up? Or burning?" The smell was getting stronger. "Umbra, what did you do?"

"Nothing!" she squeaked. "Okay, maybe, something, a little… bad."

"Out with it."

"A lava monster ate your sword."

…

…

…

"H-"

….

….

I want to count the contortions in my face. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 15, 17, 22, 23…; so, 23! 23 funny faces I made in the span of one minute.

"A lava monster," I said, deadpan.

"Yeah."

"Ate my sword."

"Yeah."

"Um…."

"Yeah?"

"How am I supposed to reply to that?"

"You say 'I understand and am absolutely sure you had nothing to with it Umbra and don't blame you at all and won't ask what completely innocent deeds you were up to at the time and promise I'll just smile and think about what we should do from here on out.' Ah'kay?"

I'm sure this world will start to make sense. Eventually. Someday. Hopefully. Maybe. Maybe I should stop stringing together caveats. I just stared at her, till she broke and began babbling frantically.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry! By the way, do you know how fast I am? It'll make sense in context."

I just stared at her, and this time I smiled. It was a creepy smile.

"Anyways, so… I promised I would take care of the Navlaw brothers for you. And now they're out the way! Like, really out of the way! Like, stranded in the middle of nowhere guarded by lava leeches and probably dead out of the way! Isn't that good news?"

I still haven't decided how to react to this emotionally, much less rationally, so I still just stared at her, and waited for her to keep talking.

"All right, so here's what happened."

"I went looking for your sword, I thought you might need it sometime. Well, it's a big grassland and I have no idea where you lost it, so I needed help. I got some help from the mining guild. They have these this weird tool that uses magic to sniff out metal ore, and I thought it might home in on your sword. We went out, and the needle on the magno-blipperthingy started going crazy. Then the Navlaw's solero went flying overhead, and it was on fire, and, well, I thought the needle was pointing towards them, because it followed their ship, except they should've been too high overhead to trigger it. Doky and Marp, the miners, pointed out the needle was actually pointing downwards, and pretty soon there was an earthquake."

"Slow down," I told her, as she spouted this all out non-stop. "Where is this headed?"

"Pipper down, jeesh! It's a long story."

"I just need the abridged version."

"This IS the abridged version."

"Sounds pretty wordy to me."

"What, you want to hear how I blackmailed the mining guild into helping me?"

"NO! Just tell me the basics."

"A lava monster ate your sword."

"I already heard that, how'd it happen?"

"SHUT UP AND LET ME TELL THE STORY!"

"Fine, fine, get on with it."

"So, I kinda liked the brothers and dashed off to see if they died. By the time I cleared the ridge, their rig was a flaming wreck. Fire and debris were on fire and stuff, and the hull was split into four or five pieces. I was pretty sure no one could've survived the impact, and I might be right, but the brothers weren't there. They were floating some two hundred yards farther, on a glider, which was also on fire, and in fact, Donaldo's jacket was also on fire. Olison chucked him off the glider before he caught on fire too. They landed a ways away, in the tall grass. Then the ground crumbled, and a well… a monster came out."

"The lava monster?" I asked.

"Yeah. And it was headed straight for them."

"And what happened?"

"I'm not sure what happened before I saw them. Right then, Olison ran, the lava monster ignored Donaldo and went straight for Olison. The guy didn't have any chance to outrun the thing, so he turned around, and guess what, he had your sword."

"What? How? How'd he even hold it?"

"I have no idea! That's what I was saying. Oh, funny you should mention how he held it, it was tied to some rigging and Oli was swinging it around like a ball n chain. The monster attacked him, there was a giant smoke cloud. Next thing's next, the monster had the sword stuck in his jaw and Olison was sprinting away, buttocks and arms on fire. Oh, yeah, Donaldo was running too and managed to catch up with him. He knocked his brother out with a fist to the face, but then the lava slugs that had followed the monster were chasing them, and they were headed towards a gulch last I saw. I told the miners to go after them but they were kinda sheepish and I went to try to find the lava monster. I got close enough to see it struggling with the blade stuck in its mouth, till it decided to just swallow the thing whole."

She didn't say anything more.

"And then?"

"That's it. End of story. I lost the thing in the smoke and had to bugger out. Sorry about your sword, guess it's melted now."

"No, it wouldn't be," I said, mostly to myself.

"Yes it would. It's lava. Lava is really really hot. I'm pretty sure your sword is a piece of molten slag now."

"And I'm pretty sure its intact and stuck in that beast's gut," I argued back. She tried to continue the argument, but I clamped her mouth shut, out of spite. She didn't try to speak any more but just grabbed my hand. Though, she didn't tug my hand down violently, but docile-like.

"So what now?" I asked.

"We help the town."

"Why? With what?" I demanded.

"Um… because the lava monster was really big, and he brought a lot of buddies. Look." She gestured outside. I tugged my weary, itching carcass to the entrance.

"Hey, Umbra?"

"Eh?"

"At what point did you forget to mention that _the city is under attack_?" Her matter-of-fact, cheerful attitude was hardly appropriate when a twenty-foot colossus glowing like the coals of hellfire was now wading through the shipping district, setting it ablaze. Several townsfolk tried to dodge near it with pole arms, but the weapons burned up like kindling before they even got within a dozen yards of the monstrosities.

"That's the monster huh…" I began contemplating how to get my sword back from the thing. It was kind of slow, but if it could set fire to anything in that big a radius, I was at a loss for how to handle the thing. Maybe Umbra has magic for this.

"Um, hate to tell you this…"

"What now?"

She pointed. I looked. I dropped my jaw. Three more lava monsters came out of the tree line, leaving a raging wildfire in their wake.

"That wasn't the monster. Those are his little buddies."

"_Little_?" The molten being was now crossing the central bridge, melting the floor beneath it. Coming closer, I suddenly began thinking how crazy I was for even contemplating fighting this thing. It was easily bigger than a two-story house. We were still sixty yards away, at least, and I was sweating profusely, and not from fear. Acrid, antagonizing smoke filled my nostrils, making me want to gag. Meanwhile, Umbra didn't seem discomforted or perturbed in the least.

"So, hero, how're you going to handle this?" she asked lightly. Was she enjoying this?

"Anything else I should know?" Umbra paused a moment, like she was conflicted over something. Then she shrugged.

"Yeah, um, the lava monsters seem to be chasing us. Or rather, Doky. Or maybe Marp. Come to think of it, the monsters kept switching between those two, that's the only way we got away. I kinda told them to go back to their base and get help, then ran the other direction."

"So you are responsible for this."

"A little. Still, best time to talk about blame might be after the fact." She pointed towards the approaching monster.

"Point taken." My mind raced into survival mode. There were always many things to consider in combat, some of them can guarantee victory, but botching any one of them could kill you.

"I need to see Derp and Derp."

"Who?"

"Your miner buddies. But first, this guy." I looked at the lava monster, who was now at the big bridge's half point and looking funny at the catwalk connecting the temple to the bridge. I just now noticed the stone beneath its feet was melting away.

"Crap. Umbra, what keeps this temple afloat?"

"Um, don't know."

"Really?"

"What're you thinking?"

"If its that bridge, we're doomed."

"I don't know."

"Pray."

"For what?" But I was already hobbling towards the far balcony. A quick peep confirmed we were suspended high above a large pool of water. I hobbled back to the front, taking a deep breath before stuttering out. My side ached, but the adrenaline was slowly building an immunity to the pain, for the time being. Outside the first thing I noticed was how hot it was.

The monster took immediate notice of me. Its eyes, or the gaping hollows that passed for eyes, focused on my puny little figure. It roared.

"_OOOOORRAWGHHHHH!"_

"Come on, I've heard worst!" I yelled back at it. The creature roared again, taking a step towards me. It then paused, as if considering how it was going to cross over the bridge that was half the width of its own foot.

"Damnit, don't be a smart-ass," I cussed, angry at the creature and doubly angry for making me cuss. Luckily Umbra was not in earshot. A pillow was lying on the ground; soon enough it was hurtling towards the monster's head. The fabric didn't even reach the thing's forehead before incinerating, blowing charred feathers into the air.

"Come on! Don't be a wussy! You're bright red, for Goddesses' sake, not yellow! Get over here!" I threw another handy object, a brazier, at it. It nipped its shoulder, before half-melting and falling into the void. The creature's response was to roar uselessly at me again. I tried advancing, but couldn't go more than halfway before the skin of my cheeks began singing.

"Nanny! Come on! Step on the bridge, melt it away, fall, damnit, fall!" The creature stopped roaring, out of hoarseness seemingly. Its mitt-like hand reached up to its face, then down into its throat.

"What the… f…." The hand came out, holding a blazing sun-hot glob of magma. I dodged back into the temple before the incendiary was hurled into the embankment. Even then I had to back up a dozen yards before the heat was bearable.

"Dang. Oh, lookit that."

"What?" asked Umbra, curling up beside me lazily.

"The stone of the temple isn't melting, but the bridge stone is. Just what kind of material makes up this place? Hey, I got it."

"What do you got?"

"Hmm, never mind, I'd need magic. Would you happen…"

"Sorry, I'm useless," she said, in a not-so-apologetic manner. I scouted around, looking, thinking, trying to concoct a plan.

"What did you need magic for?"

"I was thinking I could break a piece off of the sculpture there. If it can withstand the heat, maybe I can use it as a spear or something that can hurt the monster."

"Oh, but how would you get close enough to…" her question was interrupted by a sudden earthquake. The temple shuddered slightly and a loud thud resounded throughout its halls. My hairs were tingling with heat again.

"Oh I see…" she said passively, while staring out the door. She pointed to the entrance, which was now engulfed in a fabric-fueled inferno.

"This way." I cried, spotting what I was looking for. I dove towards a curtained area, thrashing them out of the way. Hidden behind them were stairs, doubtless leading to the second-floor balcony. We dashed up to the second floor, in time to see the lava monster burst into the room. It was all in pieces and resembled a molten rubbish pile more than a molten golem now. Its parts slowly began pulsing and forming together again.

"Guess he couldn't fit through the door properly. But how'd he get over the bridge?"

"I think his buddy threw him over."

"His buddy?"

"Yeah, I saw another one through the door a minute ago."

"Great. Let's go." I ran along the railing, catching swathes of banisters as I went, till my arms were full. My side still ached and itched, slowing me down crucially.

"My books will be burned! No!" Umbra leaned over the railing and gawked at the archives, which were poofing into ashes. She's worried about her literature at a time like this? Whatever, she doesn't need a hero, more like a head doctor. An opening appeared, as expected. It was a window out onto the Solace city-front, where, indeed, another lava monster could be seen.

"Crap, better hurry." I found another brazier nearby. I quickly took this and chucked it downwards, at the head of the still-forming monster, the one inside the temple. This got its attention.

"Yeah you! See you later!" I grabbed Umbra, who protested, to which I ignored, and leapt out the window. In my other hand I unfurled the banisters, now a make-shift parachute. Right on cue, the second monster roared, then screeched. The pair had been melting the bridge where they stood for awhile, and now the structure was giving way. Judging by the distance, our flight speed, our descent rate, the angle towards the bridge, we weren't going to make it.

"Eeeeeek!" Umbra shut up!

"Pull up!"

"We're fine!"

"Pull up!"

Four seconds till we glided under the bridge to our certain doom…

Two seconds….

But the stone shuddered and cracked and the bridge fell inward. I took a half second to check the monster. It was falling through its own self-made gouge, the lava melting through its footing. The roaring creature dropped into the water, erupting into a hissing steam cloud. This boiling mass spewed down the river and quickly tumbled over the waterfall. As for us, the bridge's sudden demise also lowered this section just enough to catch with my hands. Umbra instinctively leapt to safety, then, thoughtfully, turned and tugged me up after her.

The cobblestone crumbled and cracked, as the bridge began breaking up. A burst of speed and precision jumps helped me narrowly navigate the collapsing segments. I myself collapsed on the ground once safe. My side was killing me again, protesting the constant, unwarranted activity and abuse. The fact that I could move at all was a sign of recovery, at least.

"And the temple?" I turned, and indeed saw that it was magic that kept it afloat. The Temple of Wind floated still as a mountain, albeit one set ablaze and not connected to any solid ground. At its door the first lava monster poked its head out, groaning and roaring away, in vain. They can't be that smart after all, to have melted away their own footing, with said footing suspended over a _river_.

"How many of these things are there?"

"At least a dozen."

"And their big brother?"

"I've no idea. Oh, also, watch out for the wyrms and slugs. Smaller, but just as hot."

"Good to know. Help me up." I used Umbra as a crutch and we began scrambling through the urban terrace. Umbra had a frown plastered on her face. "My books," she whimpered. I rolled my eyes.

"At least you're alive."

Two more lava monsters appeared, but they decided to chase other Solaceans into the woods. A third appeared, but it was being blasted with something blue.

"That'd be the elders."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Elder Sorataem probably, and his ice magic."

"Will they be okay?"

"Yeah, they're pretty competent, I think they can handle one."

"Cool. Let's find those miners. You said the monsters were chasing them specifically; I'd like to know why."

"Gotcha. See the fork in the canyon ahead?" The canyon holding Solace split in two. At the fork in the canyon was the familiar plaza from before.

"Yes."

"The left one is lower than the right one, that's where we came from on the first night. We need to go into the taller canyon."

"So head right and up?"

"Yep."

Thank goddesses, she was talking straight for once. Although the way meant more staircases and ascending walkways than I cared for.

"There," she pointed.

_'There'_ was not a place I wanted to go. _There_ was an artifice built into the canyon wall, presumably a major building. _There_ happened to be surrounded by no less than eight lava monsters. I know that because I stopped and counted them.

"That's the miner's guild. I think they're inside." Umbra didn't seem bothered by the _eight_ lava monsters, nor did the cumulative heat eminating off them and turning me into a dripping meatbag bother her at all.

"No kidding?"

I kind of just sank into the nearest house door for a minute or three. There was no way to fight these things, or even get close to them; I was at a loss for a plan. They were digging into the Guild's front wall, searing away the stone facing and getting closer by the minute to whatever it was that put them into an uproar.

"Is there a backdoor?" I asked.

"No."

"Do you happen to have any magic that could help?"

"Can't think of any."

"Handy gadgets?"

"Sorry."

I wanted to give up.

"Do you even know what caused them to chase the miners and not you? Any clue at all?"

"Um… well, sorry. I haven't seen these things in awhile, I forget what they're like."

"You've seen these before?"

"Briefly."

"And?"

"I told you, I forget."

My eyes roll.

_Kaboom_! The ever-dangerous sound of an explosion. I turned in time to catch one monster flying backwards a few steps. The other abominations stood back a bit, startled, then resumed their excavation with renewed fury.

"The miner's are trying to blow their way out."

"Wait, are there any other explosives?" I asked.

"Yeah, definitely."

"That we can reach?"

"Umm… why?"

"I might have a plan."

_Kaboom! Kaboom! _Two more explosions, but unfortunately they missed. There was now a gaping hole where the front door used to be. The monsters tried to crowd into it, but were still too big. A few were now trying to shove the leader inside forcefully.

"Let's start moving."

"Where to?" Umbra asked.

In reply, I pointed to the ledge above the Guild.

It took six minutes to climb to that vantage point. We had to backtrack to a stairwell and gateway, and then loop back. At one point we heard four consecutive explosions, and a lot more roaring. It seems the miners were blowing up their base a chunk at a time to fend off the lava monster's assaults. If only they could hold off for a little longer…

We were on top of the ledge, with shrubs and tall grass sprawling into a field. Over the brink, the sounds of battle (if you could call this a battle) rang up the cliff face. Along the way I had gathered rope from a outdoor market. I tied this to the sturdiest foliage I could find.

"What're you going to do?" she asked.

"If I can rappel down to the miners, I can pick up explosives, bring them back up here, and start a landslide. That might bury the monsters. At least I might be able to create an escape route for the miners."

"Sounds like a plan," she said, with utterly no confidence.

"Here goes." Yanked the cord once, to make sure it was safe, than made a leap of faith.

The heat was unbelievable. As soon as I popped over the ledge, it hit me like a wave of water, except this water was causing the equivalent of a sunburn in mere seconds. I wish I had on more clothing, but too late.

My first stop was some ten feet down the cliff. My knots were holding, so unless the rope itself caught fire, I wasn't in danger of falling. Looking down, I estimated fifty to sixty more feet between me and the action.

Right now that action consisted of six monsters hulking around a cavern rimmed with red, viscous marble. Every so often they would bellow something like firebreath into the hole. More bellowing and blasting could be heard deep inside. I guess they were successful in shoving their comrade inside. At least one seems like it was blown off the terrace.

"Alright, here goes," I said. I had one shot, to rappel down, dodge the lava, the lava monsters, and their breaths, and hope the inside guy gave me some room. Was I scared? Yes, extremely. Was I suicidal? Not quite; my confidence was a little boosted by my cockiness. This wasn't the hardest stunt I'd ever pulled.

"Three…"

"Two…"

"One…"

I flexed against the rock face, and then jumped wide. The cliff whooshed by, and the now-comfortable feeling of free-fall embraced me. I closed my eyes and gripped the rope as hard as I could, praying.

"Please oh please let me come thro-"

My senses reeled. I would tell you what I heard, but in truth, I heard nothing, I was deafened. My sight was filled with stars and flashes, and my body simply registered concussion after concussion after concussion. It felt like I was falling again, but in a strange, weird direction.

When I came to, it had to be mere seconds later, because I was still flying in various directions, and there was a lot of moving debris surrounding me. A vision of a rope-thing crossed my eyesight. It was instinct that made me grab for it, training of reflexes that actually let me grip it, and then I was swinging back down like a pendulum. I lost grip at one point, but landed on a pile of dust and dirt a few feet below, rolling for a bit.

Where once there had been a Miner's Guild with a large hole torched into it, there was now a crater. The earth looked like some behemoth had come through and randomly took a bite out of it, taking the rest clean away. Before me, six very-pissed-off-looking lava monsters were recoiling from the shock of the blast. They appeared to be wounded, or at least, their were chunks blown off them, with liquid magma flowing freely into the ground, hissing and charring anything it touched. A puddle of lava and pyrrhic spatter occupied the center of the crater. The nearest living monster saw me, roared, and charged. Others followed suit.

I didn't have time to even curse, I just ran. There was no where to go, though, I was on the inner side of the crater. Nonetheless, I played hop-scotch across the rubble, hoping for some route of safety. My back felt raw and useless, and I knew they were close when I spotted flames on my shirt sleeves. Don't even ask about the exposed parts of my body.

"Down!" someone shouted, and I felt like I was being yanked into the ground itself. Dust-covered hands covered me and yanked me deeper into the blessedly cold darkness. The flaming apparel was stripped off and stamped out.

"Who is he?" someone else asked.

"Don't know."

"Me neither."

"Hey, wait, he's Amber's friend, the new guy."

"Oye."

"Hmph, bet he brought on this mess,"

"Nah, I heard it was Amber."

"I heard it was the solero flyers."

"Shut up and get moving!"

When I could, I fended off the tugging appendages and shambled on my own two feet.

"Are you the Mining Guild?" I asked, as we bumped along broken corridors and narrow cracks.

"Yeppum."

"Shhh!"

"I'm here to help. Do you have any more bombs?"

"Ha! Funny, aren't ye kid?"

"This way," we ducked through a crack and then had to crawl on our bellies through what seemed like a large rodent's nest. The going was tearing up my burnt arms. I couldn't move like this on my own, and got tugged again by an immense bearpaw of a hand.

"This ought to be safe." Four men stood over me, reminding me of a cross between moles and gorillas. Despite their funny appearance and my pain, I had to keep my mind on the mission.

"Do you have explosives?" I asked again.

"Are you daft? That damnable beast ran straight into our cache. What'd you think blew up the whole damn mountain-side?" At this my heart sank.

"What's your name again?" one demanded.

"Thiel, pleased to meet you. Yours?"

"Kwulko."

"Finx."

"Marp."

"Gandle."

"Marp?" He blinked and nodded, a motion I could barely make out in the dim torchlight. "You were with Umbra?"

"Who?"

"Amber."

"Oh, aye, she's somewhat of an acquaintance." He was also the guy who had recognized me, I think.

"I was also looking for you, I had a question?"

"Is it relevant?" he asked.

"Very. Umbra said the monster was interested in you explicitly. Why?"

"Me? Hell no! What do they care for meat products? They wanted our compass."

"Compass? Wait, you have one?"

"We have lots, but any will do for them. They're mineral creatures, they like to eat minerals. Some reason they're partial to magnetic metals, like our compass needle. Damnable, why don't the lay-peeps know this stuff?"

"Because we're not mining experts," I snapped back.

"We played keepaway with the compass, that's how me and Doky managed to sucker them into falling into the far canyon. The bigun, boy, that was a monster and ten; that one didn't care as much, was much more interested in those fly-boys. Couldnae of escaped but for them, so I guess we ought to be thankful."

"Where's the compass?"

"Doky had it last, don't know where he was during the boom."

"Do you have any other compasses?" I then asked.

"Sure, why?"

"Like I said, I'm here to save you."

"Mighty nice of you, but how do you plan ta fight those things?"

"I'll be fine," I insisted. They sniggered, looking at my sorry condition.

"Sure, whatever. We'll let you go die if ye want," the one named Kwulko answered. He seemed to be in charge. "Marp, go fetch him a compass or three. Gandle, help me bandage the poor sob up. Might as well give him a proper burial shroud." Strange sense of humor, these miners had.

Kwulko set up a first aid kit. He took a cerulean-colored potion and poured it on a roll of bandages, which he then proceeded to wrap me up in. The potion numbed the pain a bit, enough to let me move around. My skin felt too loose and awkward and painful, as if sloughing over the muscle.

Marp stumbled in lugging a sack.

"Here ya go, one sack o lava-bait." He must have brought two dozen of the instruments. I peered inside, seeing that the compasses were larger than I expected.

"Is there an easier way out?"

"Don't know." The blast had leveled most of the compound, so they couldn't be faulted for not knowing the way. I waved them goodbye, catching as I left, "We've got nothin to loose by him, anyhow." So true, and I was glad they didn't give me much fuss. It didn't take so long to reach the surface, either. The sounds of the still-attacking monsters guided me through the maze of jumbled, destroyed corridors and rooms. I came upon one flooded in sunlight; there was a horizontal crack just big enough to fit through. I peered outside.

The lava monsters had melted themselves into small craters, which they were making large by shoveling out the slag, like a dog digging up its bone. They didn't notice me or anyone else.

I crawled out of the hole. The nearest bristled, as if sensing me.

Crap, he did sense me. Or rather, the face-thing of its was staring at the sack in my hand. Magnetic, did Marp say? I guess the monsters can sense that. I was at their left-side in relation to the cove, and so thought I had just enough room to sprint to the canyon proper.

The bandages heated quickly, threatening to sear me again. I ignored that, and just kept pounding the dirt and rubble with my feet as hard as I could. Hey! Something caught my eye. It was the rope I had swung down on, maybe… nope, it was cut loose. So much for climbing back up. Aha! I thought. I paused long enough to grab the rope anyways, then resumed sprinting.

I hope I'm not bragging, but there was a time I was a seaman, and I knew how to handle knots and ropes in the middle of chaotic situations (except for that one time I nearly drowned, but let's not go into that). Still running, I tied a lasso. As the heat became unbearable and the lava monsters bore down on me, I reached the original landing to the Miner's Guild Building. I leapt, and in the same motion, chucked the lasso out to the first outcropping I could spot. Two monsters leapt after me, desperate for their magnet snack. As I swung up and away, they missed, and plunged into the river far below.

"Four left." I landed on another catwalk.

"Thiel!" It was Umbra. She was leaning over the canyon lip, waving down to me. I thought fast. Further on there was another bridge, higher up. I waved her towards that and began running. The wall behind me exploded, as another monster jumped clean over the canyon and tried to tackle me, ramming the wall instead. My eyesight choked from the shrapnel-like slate rock for a second, causing me to stumble.

"Gah!" I jumped to a lower landing, just in time to dodge a hail of lava bombs.

The leaper steadied himself and began barreling down the stairs and passways. More missiles rained in, the other three monsters providing covering fire for him. I dodged beneath a bridge to avoid that, and kept making my way towards the target bridge.

Another leapt over, grabbing an edge, trying to move faster than its grip melted away. I noticed the first one slowing down, being more cautious. It had to avoid any of the smaller, less substantial paths, less it melt its way into a freefall as well.

"Good, bastard, good." I made it to the bridge. It looked just big enough… I took out two compasses from the sack, then chucked the rest towards the middle of the bridge.

"What're you doing?" Umbra yelled down at me.

"Catch!" I tossed one compass up to her. "Bait!" I explained briefly to her. The lead monster caught my attention again.

"Come and get it!" I yelled at the thing, and raced to the opposite side of the bridge. Hopefully…

"ORRAUUUWWWHHH!" It ignored the bridge and jumped across the canyon.

"Damnit!" It had lost some elevation, though, and had to cling/melt its way into the cliff to keep itself from falling. A cart-sized hand reached up; the thing was climbing for me. The other three were now chasing me too. No, wait, one was scaling the wall above… was it going to try to cut me off?

"Eeeeeek!" Nope, it was after Umbra's compass. She disappeared.

"Dangit." I hoofed my way forward, again. I could see I was running out of canyon. In another hundred yards the walls closed in to a mere sliver. There was a walkway and a gate, closed, leading out, under which a deep stream gurgled out. It was the head of the canyon.

"AROOOOOUUOUOU!" I looked back. Two more down, the slackers had gone after the sack on the bridge and fell through it. They were screaming in the river below, by now more of a creek. They weren't being washed away or killed outright, but I could see chunks of them hardening and crumbling through the steam clouds. That meant one was left.

It was now moving extra slow, but it was also grasping into a house. Its hand came out, and hurled something my way. I hugged the wall, as the missile slammed the ledge above me. A shower of debris followed by a red-hot cast-iron cauldron narrowly missed falling ony my head.

"Keep moving…"

That was it. No more room, no more obstacles, just a path cut into the right cliff face, the locked gate, and sheer walls or sheer drops all around me. I turned to face the monster. Maybe I can just feed it the compass and it'll leave me alone…

Yeah right.

Seeing I had nowhere left to run, it slacked off, taking its time. If it came any closer, I would pass out from heat exhaustion anyways.

"Thiel!"

Umbra appeared above me. She was on the opposite side of the canyon now, how'd she manage that?

"What?"

"The gate lever is behind the potted plant!" she cried. I turned. There was a shriveled plant, and an orifice behind it. I turned back to the advancing wall of lava.

"Nom nom!" I joked, and threw the compass between its legs. The thing dove for the precious metal, while I sprinted to the orifice. A rod could be felt within, I pulled it; nothing happened.

"Crap!" I thrashed, the rod slid in and clicked. "Oh, supposed to push it."

A screeching and clanking, and the heavy wooden gate creaked loose. I pushed through it, in time for the monster to take notice and roar. Not off the hook yet.

The gap over the stream was only five feet, I took a running leap, barely making it and scraping my shin in the process. My left foot and arm had given out, wearied and now unusable. Still I hopped onwards, up to another field of tall grass overlooking the canyon. Umbra ran forward and caught me in her arms as I toppled over.

"Thiel! Wow! That was stupid!" What is she berating me now for? I took out four lava monsters on my own, right?

"How'd you get rid of yours?"

"I couldn't catch the compass. It ran after that instead of me."

"Only one left," I muttered.

"Um… sorry," she said, humbly. I stared at her. She stared over me and towards the edges of the field.

I didn't count. I really didn't need to count. But for your information, there were fifty-eight.

_Fifty-eight lava monsters. _

They surrounded the field, and stared direly at me and Umbra. Between them were countless more slugs, wyrms, slithery things on fire, rapidly burning the grass and starting a wildfire.

"Thiel…."

"Um…."

"Thiel…"

"I know, we're screwed."

"Thiel!" Her hand caught my head and skewered it to another corner of the field.

"That's The Lava Monster."

I nearly fainted. It was eighty feet tall. It was covered in steel-vaporizing-hot magma. It had claws the size of battering rams, teeth you could impale a warhorse on. It roared. I stared dumbly, shocked, overwhelmed. Then, out-of-the-blue:

"Hey! That's my sword!"

The Master Sword was buried in the midst of the beast's molten-stone maw, unblemished. Fear turned to resolve.

"I want my sword back."


	19. Tactical Retreat

**Chapter 19: Tactical Retreat**

"What're you going to do?"

"Can you heal me?"

"What?"

"Back when we first met, you saved me with some potion. Do you have that?"

"Not on me!"

Damn. I wanted to do something, but my options were pretty limited with two lame limbs, soon to be three. I didn't know how much time I had, but apparently more than I thought. The minions backed away, while the giant took one step forward.

"If you can't help, run, you don't need to get hurt too."

"Don't worry about me." She touched my arm, as if to reassure me. Too bad that sent my limb into a spiral of mindless pain.

"Sorry!"

"Actually, you're fast, right?"

"Um, yeah."

"This is the best I can think of. I'll play dead, you lead away. I need an opening back to Solace."

"What's in Solace? And how sure are you they won't stomp over you?"

"None."

"That's too risky."

"You don't have time, do it!" I shouted into her face. I stumbled over onto my face, deafened and dizzied. A gale-force wind erupted from my backside. The mere bellowing of this giant lava monster was enough to knock a guy over, even at this distance. It took another step, and another, attracted by the meek little noises, or so I thought.

"Now!" I screamed, and without waiting, I flopped onto my face and hung limp. This was the worst thought-out plan in my entire life. Umbra must've agreed, because she didn't flee. Rather, she walked; straight towards the lava giant.

"I won't leave you to die, idiot!"

She walked to the front of the creature, impossibly close given the heat, with the grass-fire lapping at her feet. She didn't seem to notice or mind. Instead she simply spread her arms wide, as if to shield me. As if that would…

Impossible. The monster stopped.

A tower of living molten rock had been waylaid by a five foot girl.

"Huh?"

Then it roared. I was flipped over onto my backside and groaned. The creature took one single step forward. Guess the game's up.

I got to my knees and began crawling away as fast as my defunct, blistered legs could carry me. Whatever Umbra was trying, it wouldn't work, it'd only get both of us killed. Unless she wasn't trying anything, and merely trying to be a human shield for me to escape. Except she wouldn't make much of a shield, and she doesn't seem like the kind of person who'd die for me. Did she have an ace? At the moment, I wasn't bothering to find out.

"Thiel, I remember a little."

"About what?"

"What you said when we first met."

"Huh?"

"You said I was cute. Well, you're funny looking."

"What the hell does that have to-" do with anything, but I didn't get to finish. She flew straight at the creature. True to her word, she was fast, and somewhat magical. Her clothing burst into flame from the intense heat. This didn't slow her in the least, on the contrary, she threw the flaming scraps off, till she was naked. Given the circumstances, I couldn't gain any perverse joy from this: she was a blur of speed, the smog was thick and obscurring my vision, and of course, I was half-dead (again) and we were still surrounded by lava monsters.

The giant charged, and swung its massive claw downward. It was fast, Umbra was faster. The next I saw of her was on the monster's right, then disappearing from sight. The giant lava creature turned to chase her, but had already lost sight. Umbra reappeared, this time above the creature. She seemed to be able to jump and float at will, using air currents or something to guide her airborn maneuvers. The giant turned to swat her, but she had dodged away again.

"Oh!" She was amazingly fast, and skilled. She wasn't affected by the aura of skin-melting. If she couldn't fight the monster like she said, she can still distract it. Long enough for me to get to town… Awesome! Or so I thought at the moment.

The smaller lava monsters were moving away from me and towards their frustrated leader. I hope Umbra doesn't get overwhelmed, but now I can get through their lines. My nerves had been burned enough to numb the pain, and my muscles were still functional, so I seemed to be able to walk again. It was still difficult, and still just a hobble.

"Don't you die, Umbra." I gritted my teeth. I didn't want her to die because she was my only ally on this strange world; because she was my ticket back to a normal life; because she was a friend. The only thing I could do now was stumble back to Solace and use the resources there to save her. Somehow.

Think think think. Seatorius, Seto, Seata something.. the elder Umbra had mentioned. I should go find him. I saw him using ice magic, perhaps he could help. Solace was as I had left it, burning and chaotic.

"Damn!" I stared down at the pathway. Up stared a familiar molten face. "Hi again." It roared at me. Its limbs dug into the sides, and the monster began ascending rapidly.

"I don't have time for you!" The edge was cracking. My foot came down, leaning my weight on it and causing a chunck of the cliff to fall downward. The monster caught the small boulder in his mouth, crashing right back down to the path below. I wasn't going to wait for it to climb up a second time. The canyon edge overlooking Solace was ruptering, causing me to back off. It was a half mile till the next flight of stairs leading down to the city, too far for my charred leg.

"Okay." I spent a minute sitting down, ripping my sleeve up, wrapping my leg, and finding a crutch. Another rumbling and earth-shaking footsteps told me the monster had caught up. My heart skipped a beat, until I realized it wasn't up top; it must have followed the canyon causeways down. After a moment the earth-shaking receded. It was moving on.

"Oh, hmm." It was a good thing that the creature gave up on me and decided to rampage through the city right? Right? Maybe, except I needed to get down to said city. I had no weapons and no bait-compasses. There had to be another way to kill these things.

The stairs, at last. Also, I came into contact with my first Solacean of the day. He was heavy and gruff and armored, probably a town gaurd. Behind him cowered another person, dressed up and down in pockets and miscellenious cloth items stitched together, similar to the lady at the solero docking tower. By the time I reached them, another trio of people, two girls and a guy, were flying up the stairs. The gruff man directed them towards the prairies, away from the danger.

"Hoy, who are you?" He asked, finally spotting me.

"I need to talk to the elders."

"Sure you do, wait till they come back!"

"I can't wait!"

I couldn't tell you who this guy is or what he's normally like, during a crisis everyone shouts and sounds angry. In desperate times people do desperate things, mostly stupid things.

"Get over to safety. Hoy? Where're you going?" I tried to move past him, but he caught me by the shoulder, and then both hands were clamped on my forearm, dragging me back. My right arm, no less, which sent a searing bolt of pain throughout my shoulder. I tugged, ripping the sleeve and skin right off, and the pain roared to new heights. I powered through it.

"Ahh?" I levered free and kicked the guard's unprotected shin. He buckled slightly, and I finished the other shin to send him to the ground.

"I might need this," I said, pulling the man's dirk from its sheath. It was clean, if plain and poor craftmaship. Little help against primordial beings of lava, but hey, sharp things always find a use.

"Where going?" asked the creature covered in the wardrobe. Yay, another odd speech pattern.

"Down," I pointed. As I stumbled down the steps, I heard the pitter patter of shoes behind me. The creature was following me.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Kante."

"Alright, Kante, I don't mind dying right now, that's how I can go do this, if you wanna live, you ought to follow gruffy's advice."

"Shin kicker guard bester safer."

What? Whatver. He followed me along.

"Don't expect me to protect you."

"Negative problem."

I couldn't shake the question of why this fellow would follow me out of the blue. I also kind of wondered at their race. I mean, like all those other folks at the towers, there was just something wrong and broken about them. Some, not as much as others. Olison had a rather respectable face, even if his back was crooked, and Donaldo was definitely fit. I mean, aside from looking like invalids, at least they looked _human_.

"Hey, do you happen to know the Navlaw brothers?"

"Navvy boys good boys, affirmative. Back back back employers, friend family."

These people's speech was more crooked than their spines. Geeze.

"Well, later." I stopped suddenly, holding Kante back as well. The air was rippling up ahead. Sure enough, the lava monster emerged from inside a house, setting the roof aflame and demolishing the door. In its mouth was the kitchen pot, slowly melting and being crunched like a doggy snack. It hadn't noticed us.

"Back." I pulled Kante back behind a corner, and then peeked round.

I confirmed it; same monster that chased me to the end of the canyon and led the group that attacked the guild. It had a shallow crevice on top of his head that made it recognizable. In that moment I decided to call him Craghead.

Craghead's eyeless head turned in our direction, causing me to jump back. That sent a shock down my still-broken-leg, and I tumbled to the ground.

"Kante, this way." The guy gave me a lift and let me hobble on his shoulder.

"Wayward which?"

"Try to go around the thing, I want to see the elders."

We tried. When we found a lower pathway, though, Craghead had moved down with us, still blocking our path. It now seemed bored, merely crashing through houses in search of metal to chomp on.

"Really?" I was about to turn, when Craghead roared. It had spotted us.

"Run!" I tried, but didn't get very far because my support didn't follow. Kante held back.

"Sorataem, elder, here there."

"What?" I looked back, to see that the lava monster had not found us, but a lone figure in dark blue robes. It charged towards the figure.

"Stand back!" cried the figure. It's hands shot up, spread-fignered, and glowing. "Stand back raging beast!" Just as the monster fell on it, a brilliant flash erupted, fraying into millions of icy snowflakes. The monster was blown backwards by the sudden blizzard. Back, but not down. The spell condensed on its skin, erupting into steam, and blistering its molten skin into slag, causing it to scream in pain and rage. It wasn't enough to topple it though. Craghead struggled forward, making one short step after another, fighting the snowy barrage. It was slowed down, but gaining.

"Kante, help me." I chucked a rock at the monster's hide, to no effect. The mineral melted and merged with the monster. I kept throwing rocks, tools, bricks, a potter's wheel, to no avail. Kante faced similar results with a hurled axe and pole.

"Mmm." Kante motioned towards another object. It was a washbasin, mostly full from standing under a raingutter. We heaved it between the two of us, got as close we dared, and chucked it over.

Our combined effort wasn't enough, the cauldron dropped at the monster's feet.

But… the water sloshed over its cragged foot, cooling it and causing Craghead to downright screech. It lost its balance slightly, and that was enough for the blizzard spell to overturn it. It fell to the ground, wailing, as more and more of its skin was cooled to a dull glow, the heat slowly being sapped out of it.

"Kccchah!" screamed Kante in exhileration. I bowed my head and thanked the goddesses.

"**AOOORGGHHGH!**" Craghead screamed again, revived in desperation. Rather than fight, though, it flipped onto its belly and began digging. In moments it had fused its way through the stone pavement and into Solace's underside. The three of us gathered at the edge, int time to glimpse the monster burrow into the cliffside and out of sight.

"My, gracious. Thank you for the assistance." Sorataem extended both his hands, to which I wasn't sure how to react. Kante solved my dilema by stepping forward and hugging the fellow tightly. He turned towards me, but I wasn't so keen on a bear-hug. Instead I gripped his hand earnestly.

Sorataem was a curious fellow by his looks; he seemed young, but his full-facial beard and hair were snow-white. He gave an impression of fatherly reliability.

"I need help. My friend's fighting and in danger."

"Ah, foreign youth, tell me what you can."

I quickly informed them of what was happening. Their faces lit up upon hearing Umbra/Amber's name. It was like a magic command with these people.

"Amber is in danger? Egregious! We will go to her aide immedietly!"

"Wait now. Lava. Heat. Very very hot. Does your idea of aide not involve us frying to a crisp?"

"Foreigner, you are not learned of the full extent of our powers, are you?" Sorataem held up the back of his hand, which seemed liked it was glowing. A little blue eight-pointed star glowed on it. A hue of white-blue brilliance enshrouded the sage, enveloping him in a cold that radiated off him. He cast the same spell on Kante and then me. It felt cool, of course, but also invigorating.

"This will protect you from the heat. Come, show us the way to Amber!" I nodded and rushed off, help in tow.

_Don't die on me, Umbra, I'm on my way._


	20. The Battle of the Blazing Glade I

**Chapter 20: The Battle of the Blazing Glade I**

We passed back through the arches and spans of Solace. The place was entirely deserted now; villagers and monsters both gone. What remained were the seared skeletons of stucco houses, bombed out shops, and other relics of the attack. The damage seemed to follow meandering paths, like when termites bore holes through wood. Whatever wasn't blasted apart or melted was still scorched, ranging from a hazed grey to a jet-black soot. Seeing the devestation, I became nervous, faintly touching the magic suit of ice.

"How are we supposed to fight them, even with this armor?"

"I have an idea," said Sorataem. "You two are quite agile, and this magic is not just armor, but also a weapon against them."

"If you say so."

"Little daggers, to be sure, but a dagger in the most delicate spot is still lethal." He quickly went over the tactics he had in mind as we reached the far side of the city. I was starting to feel confident- Starting to. Then we reached the last ledge and my confidence took a hike to nowhere's land.

A dozen or so of the "minor" lava beasts were marching straight at the town. My group stood in their way.

"Let us practice, shall we?" Sorataem said.

"You sound so chearful," I remarked.

I was injured, so Kante became our leadman. As the lava beasts charged, he headed in a headlong dash straight towards them. The gap between the two closed. Only a few more yards-

"_Kyuchaachyaaa!_" Kante screamed.

"_ARGHOUOU_!" The monsters responded in kind. The center one sped up, intent on bulldozing our ally.

Kante leapt passed him, into a roll, and then kept moving. The beasts abruptly halted, struggling to reverse their momentum to chase their prey.

"Unsheath your weapon," Sorataem advised. I reached into my torso and took out the stolen dirk. As promised earlier, the cold-shield enveloped the weapon, until it was engrossed in the frost magic and shining brilliantly. "Go!"

I tried sprinting after the retreating monsters. It wasn't easy. I practically hobbled on one leg. It's not that it hurt anymore; the frost spell had taken away most of the pain, but it didn't heal the wound like Umbra's potion could. My bum leg became a kind of crutch. The other was tiring too quickly trying to carry my whole weight.

Damn it! Kante must have saw me lagging, because he slowed down too. Except that forced him dangerously close to the monsters. They were becoming enraged, maybe because this little gnat wasn't just flopping over from their heat auras. Their response was to lunge and crash their big, boulder-weight claws down. Kante tried to keep just ahead of them, but he wasn't the acrobatists that Umbra was.

_Damnation, you pile of rags, you're going to die!_ The best I could do was try to use the opening.

The nearest was just within reach now… Time to out this cold-armor to the test.

It took every last bit of strength in my good leg, but I leapt onto the lava beast's back. Flames and smoke engulfed me; the cold-armor created a stream of sizzling smoke where I clung to the monster for dear-life. If I fell now, I'd be left a lame duck waiting to be trampled into putty, magic shield or no. Despite the frackus I was okay, and for a split second I marvelled at this: I was hugging what was essentially a blob of liquified, molten rock, hotter than any fire known to civilization, and I wasn't frying to a crisp. If I felt anything through the pain and numbness, it was merely 'hot'.

The monster didn't like me on its back. It shivered, violently, like a dog trying to shake off water after getting soaked. I lost my grip, and was sent flying… to land further up its back. My hand caught ahold of some crack, and I was now sitting astride the lava creature's head.

"Bastard!" I flicked the dirk into a slasher's grip and drove it into the monster's eye, hilt-deep.

"_**WRAAAAAGH**_!"

My senses blurred for a moment. The moment after that I was slammed into the ground. Above me the lava monster was roaring, shattering my eardrum with its intensity. It thrashed wildly about, clawing its injured eye. Its maverick swings bruised another lava beast, knocking it back. Two more beasts had spotted me and the injured monster and were attempting to get closer. In my own panic, I grabbed ahold of the monster's leg, even as it flipped and dragged me across the ground. The other monsters dodged in and out, trying to get at me. Only the random barrage of my monster kept them at bay.

I didn't know if I could last another second, when a blur leapt through the chaos. Kante appeared at my side. His big, mitted hands yanked me off the shin and propped me on his back. We were away, running underneath the monster's legs. A blast of wintry air engulfed us, convulting as to allow us through. The other monsters were momentarily kept at bay. I was offloaded by a magic-tossing Sorataem.

"Got one," I croaked.

"Very good, I see that! Only ten more!" His hands made a motion of pulling the air horizontally in front of him, and a massive wall of ice lifted from the earth. A lava beast crashed partly through, then another, then another. Sorataem waved again, and a second wall was erected. "All's well, but may I ask you to make haste and take care of them? My stamina cannot last long at this rate."

I shook my head.

"No way. I can't take down another, let alone ten. And there's way more waiting, not to mention the big guy."

"But you must!"

"No nai nai, brave lame Thiel cannot, should not, shall not a go!"

"Truly?" Sorataem eyed me. Did I bloody look like I could even stand at this point? I thought I detected that same condescending, suspicious, look from before. Thankfully the wall cracked again and Sorataem had to divert his attention.

"Same same, new strategy, good hahaha affirmative?"

"Yes, we probably should pursue a different angle of attack."

"I just need to rescue Umbra." _For now. After that, I'll think of a better way to get my sword back._

"Hmm, yes." Kante helped me up, as Sorataem began casting more magic. As we backed up, his wall became steeply curved, like a 'U' with the arc towards us. Once we gained some distance, he began casting an enormous dome of ice before us. When finished, he was breathing lightly and his eyes looked strained. "That is all of my magic I can bear for now." He led us to one side of the wall, just as the center buckled. A slew of lava monsters broke through the ice. Columns of steam billowed off their hides. They bellowed, angered by their injuries. They spotted the dome of ice, and plunged into it with a fury.

"Good, they are falling for the diversion," Sorataem stated. The monsters must have thought we'd cower in the ice dome as a last desperate defense. We ran around the wall and were soon enough leaving them behind.

The sky was turning dark. Not far ahead, we could hear immense roaring and crashing. There was a raging inferno where I had left Umbra.

"Here's the plan," I said, still thinking as I talked. "Let me have that." I pulled a copper pot off the head of Kante. I wasn't that surprised to find a mesh of linen still hiding his head. Whatever, I needed a solid object, and Kante wasn't objecting. "Try using this to get the big guy angry, and we'll lead him every which way. Hopefully we can use him to stomp the other goons. Kante, you're the fastest right now, so I want you to lead him back towards the city. Wait, not the city, the cliff at the end of the city. I'm thinking, try to lure him off the cliff, and grab the edge so you don't fall yourself."

"That is your aim?" asked Sorataem, incredulously.

"Eep!" cried Kante.

"I'm sorry to ask this," I added.

"No nai nai, silly wonders. I have easy, negative problem for my part. How distract, though? That you will do, affirmative?"

"Yeah, that's my job. Sorataem, can you help Umbra outa there?"

"I will. And, once my magic returns, I may cover our retreat as well."

"Good? Okay, let's go." I led the way this time. Both legs were gone out, I was reduced to stiff-walking, as if on a pair of peg legs. 'So this is how double amputees feel,' I thought to myself. Whatever, with no feeling from my legs, I could actually hobble along faster now.

We reached the edge of the inferno.

Sorataem gritted his teeth, obviously exerting himself.

"Kallum! Shu aputuh! Horra glasosllia!" His fingers glowed with a slight hue, and the cold-shields surrounding us strengthened. The elder was visibly shaking now. "That was my absolute last bit of magic, for now. Please put it to good use. May the Cloud Walker see fit as to bless our survival!"

"Right," I rolled my eyes. I could care less for that idiot demi-god right now. I wanted Umbra back.

With that, we dove into the inferno.


	21. The Battle of the Blazing Glade II

**Chapter 21: The Battle of the Blazing Glade II**

What I saw before me could have been the mythical land of Subrosia. What wasn't merely on fire was burnt to a fine white ash, or else was twisting and writhing in what looked liked solidified, living flames. In short, a piece of hell made real.

"Steady, here they come."

Which is when I realized some of those flames didn't merely look alive, they _were_ alive.

"Can't be. Flame Dancers?" I whispered to myself. An unnatural movement caught my eye. I was just fast enough to stumble forward, pushing Kante and Sorataem out of the way in the process. Behind us, several lava slugs eyed us from where they had burst through the earth. Just then the first flame dancer arrived, leaping in a high jump kick aimed at Kante. Kante responded in kind, leaping into his own kick. The combatants collided in mid-air. Sorataem entered into melee with the second. I shoved my ice-coated pot down the gullet of the nearest lava slug.

The slug didn't like that, and writhed violently. I swung it sideways, flinging the creature at a third flame dancer coming at me. My strength went out from heaving the slug; for a thing that looked only three feet long, it must've weighed as much as me. The flame dancer flipped backwards, dodging the slug and giving me a short opening. I tried swinging the pot again, but just couldn't. My foe took the opportunity to karate chop my chest in. As I staggered backwards, its flaming body writhed, seeming to disperse then conform in an instant behind me, chopping me in the back several times. I raised the pot to stop the beating. After pounding fruitlessly on the metal instrument, the flame got smart and grabbed my pot. We wrestled for it furiously, each tossing and jerking each other back and forth. Without my legs functioning properly, I couldn't gain any leverage; the monster was getting the better of me.

"Fine, have it!" I let go abruptly, hoping to unbalance the monster.

"Oh Goddess." Being a creature of flame, seems like it doesn't obey silly little laws of physics like 'gravity'. The next moment the pot was brought down painfully into my face. There was a shattering explosion, as ice crystal spread every which way. I staggered backwards, putting a hand to my face. The ice-shield there had been broken. Almost immedietly my face experienced a burning, charring sensation- the ambient heat was already burning my face.

"Sorataem?" I asked, now having to awkwardly ward off blows by the flame dancer's new pot while covering my exposed face with one hand. "Sorataem where the hell are you?"

What the? Luckily, I spotted it before my foe. The Flame Dance struck out with the pot. I threw myelf backwards, catching the pot with my feet on the way.

_BUMPH! _

A lava monster crashed into the ground, burying the flame dancer beneath its bulk. Great, got rid of one enemy by bringing a much worst one in. The monster turned and roared directly into my face. My face, for that matter my whole head would have melted and crumbled if I hadn't raised both arms and the pot to shield myself.

When roaring didn't work, the monster made to bite my head off.

"Eat this!" I swung the pot into its mouth. I came back with naught but a handle dripping with molten iron on the tip.

"Wonderful." I turned and ran as best I could.

The monster overran me.

I fell.

Damnit! Damnit!

I was in a crack. A foot of magma was impressed into the earth a few inches above my back. I tried crawling ahead, hoping for dear life something would give.

"Back!" It wasn't visible from my perspective, but Sorataem had bested his Flame Dancer and had heaved its remains at the lava monsters face. It roared, having lost sight of me in the ground and gave chase to its new antagonist.

But now the crack was bubbling? Lava slugs. They were crawling out of the walls, feeling around, sensing prey (me) and closing in on a meal.

"Not today." I dragged myself out of the crack and back onto the surface. A lava slug reared itself mere inches in front of me.

"Ahh!" Instinctively, I slashed out at it. The pot-handle dug into its forehead like a dagger. The slug hissed, then dropped dead.

As I lumbered even deeper into the inferno, I finally was able to survey the immediate vicinity. Sorataem was nowhere to be seen, nor was his lava monster. In the distance more lava monsters were either milling around, or condensed around a large, newly-formed chasm in the earth. Although it was generally loud, a much louder racket was being made from that specific direction.

_That'll be Umbra and the big boss._

Kante was not far off to my right. He was sparring with his flame dancer still, although he seemed to have the upper hand.

"Kante!"

"I am busy!" he screamed back, the only time I've heard proper grammer from him. So they can speak normally…

"Kante! Finish that bugger off and get over here!" However, watching the two go at it, seemed like Kante was only keeping alive by playing good defense, his flame dancer wasn't giving him any openings. Even when Kante attacked, the thing just contorted and dispersed out of the way.

Looks like I'm the one who has to rescue someone today. A little harder to do when I'm basically reduced to crawling.

Well, I've got one good arm. They're twenty yards away.

Time to show em one of my tricks I picked up in my previous career.

"Hey, Flame-Fag!" I yelled. It didn't seem to notice, but Kante did. He backed slowly towards me, dragging the flame dancer after him. He took a bunch of direct hits to do so, though. He wasn't gonna last that way.

I flicked the pot-handle/improv-dagger in my hand.

"Kante! Duck!" He did, exposing himself. The flame dancer raised itself to strike.

I flung my weapon with all my might. Perfect aim-

_Thunk_!

Perfect hit!

It sliced straight through the flame dancer's core. Its fiery body poofed into a cloud of smoke, leaving behind the coal-like core. I crawled over to retreive my new favorite blade. Kante helped me upright.

"Safer maker!" he exclaimed.

"Just returning the favor. I think Umbra's over there," I said, gesturing to the crowded chasm. Kante gave an emphatic nod. On closer inspection, the chasm appeared to be an entrance to a crater or inner cliff. A large crowd of lava monsters were desperately trying to force their way in, only to be periodically repulsed, like a large tidal wave (of magma).

"Umbra there sure for sure?"

"Can't imagine why else?"

A faint, but immense roar sounded from the chasm.

"And the big one I was talking about."

"Rest sec."

"No way, we need to save her _now_."

"Rest!" I ignored him and tried to get up, but stumbled over my own legs.

"C'mon! Move!" I screamed at my own body appendages. It was no use. The legs just wouldn't obey anymore. "Kante help me up." He tried, but even he seemed too exhausted.

"Kante!"

"No! Rest! Too-" but he didn't realize it was a warning. A pair of flame dancers leapt on his back, taking him down. I grabbed the nearest rock and chucked it at them. That knocked one off of Kante, but it got up just as quickly. The other was trying to choke the fellow.

"Get off him!" I reached back to grab a second rock, only for my hand to grab something not quite as solid.

"Argh!" I brought my hand back to my front. Even through the ice-armor, it was glowing red. I heard the now-familiar hiss of a lava slug. I scooted around and tried in vain to kick it in the face.

In the corner of my eye I saw Kante struggling just to get some breath. Even his ice-shield was fading from the repeated contact with his attackers. My own situation was hardly better- I could barely defend my face with my body from a single lava slug.

More roaring. Roaring and crackling everywhere. I caught a glimpse outward. Sorataem was running wildly towards us, his once-flowing bear now singed straight off. Behind him flame dancers and three lava beasts gave chase. Another lava monster appeared, also heading towards us.

A roar….

A crash….

I'm not sure I even realized when I had been sent airborne, or how. All I know was that I landed in the ash, half-buried in the ground and dazed. I tried moving my arm. No good. I had no feeling in any of limbs, no movement. The lava slug, I couldn't see it. My vision was blurred. What was going on?

My vision faded… was I going unconscious? Or…

No. I could make out fires off to the side. The light was merely blocked.

I tried cranking my neck upwards. No good. How about to the side? I shouldn't have done that.

A score of lava monsters were gathered. Not charging, just slowly advancing, one step at a time. From the sound of it, another batch of them were behind me, and to my other side. I was surrounded.

"Why did you have to come back?"

"What?"

"You idiot. You idiot. You… dolt. I didn't… need saving."

A voice came from in front and slightly above me. A burst of flame allowed me a brief glimpse of a figure.

"Huh. Don't, hu, hu, hu - _hack_! talk to me that way."

Great, even my voice is giving out now.

"Meh."

Umbra stood, her back to me, as if in spite. And, although I couldn't see it, I could hear in her voice and breathing a struggle. She was as exhausted as me, or worst.

Her breathing was irregular, in huge, gaping breaths.

"I… am… I am… fine… you-" she couldn't finish.

"He. Hehe." What a pair we made. Even while the lava monsters closed in. Even as, I was realizing, grimly, the monstrous boss towered over us, blotting out the sky, simmering in deep rage, and preparing to crush us into nothingness… We were bickering like an old couple.

"I'm so sorry," Umbra said, and I realized her heavy breath was not exhaustion- it was sobbing.

The infernal behemoth blazed, until what had been a pitch black void became as unbearably bright as the sun, and the opressive heat burnt straight through what little cold-shield remained on me. The great monster raised its massive claw, and brought it down in fury, rage, and destruction-


	22. The Battle of the Blazing Glade III

**Chapter 22: The Battle of the Blazing Glade III**

*****WARNING*****

**Graphic content ahead. This chapter is one for which the "M" rating was needed. Proceed at your own discretion.**

I paused from telling my story.

"That's some battle," Link said. He stared at me in a knowing way. He's certainly been in his fair share of combat. "From how you describe, it's hard to imagine you, or anyone, living through all of this."

I nodded, then lifted my eyes to the ceiling.

"I'm sure war… the battles… the terror of being in constant mortal danger," Princess Zelda chipped in. "That must be why you are the way you are now." Link nodded in agreement.

"HAHAHA!" The laughter that burst from me spooked them. Hell, it creeped _me_ out. My audience recovered and looked at me with puzzled looks.

"I've been so near death… oh my gosh. Not just before that point, and so many times after… well, I'm here, alive, so how suspensful can my battle stories really be?"

"True, but…" said Zelda.

"I sincerely wish I had died."

I stared the princess eye-to-eye.

I meant it. I was dead serious.

The emotions that raged inside of me right then, it felt the same as back then, the same as the inner turmoil I've been fighting this past month…

"Still? Still?" the princess pressed. "I had hoped, by talking, to disabuse you of that notion. Why? You're alive, right now! Even as we are trapped here, we are waiting and hoping for rescue, to overcome our foes, to hope for a better future. We are all struggling so hard to live, so why do you feel you want to die?"

"There are things worst than death. I would know."

"Then why are you still alive?"

_It, isn't easy, playing god…_

And I realized I still wasn't ready to tell her. I realized that, as much as they enjoyed the narrative, I was only going so slow, so detailed, to delay the inevitable ending…

"I can't…"

As ever, the royal guard saved our argument. "Just get on with the story," Daleph said. "Bloody knows you survived, but _how_?"

I leaned my head back again.

"Um… well…" Memories surged around me. "It's… going to be hard. This part."

"Try. Please?"

"Yeah. All right."

There was a crash. Not a loud crash, because its very force must've ruptured my ear drums. But I could feel the reverberations throughout my body.

But, I could think. I could feel… barely… pain and tightness in my chest and head was all, but I could feel. I was alive. How?

Before me, Umbra was crouched, with her own arms over her head, shrinking away from the expected blow just like me. Yet, the massive claw of the monster hadn't touched her. It hadn't touched much at all.

Because, standing beyond Umbra, was another figure.

It was a man, I could sense instantly. Tall. Very tall. Muscular, but not bulky. A mane of dark-grey hair flowed from his head. He wore a great black jacket on his back, like a cloak, engraved with intricate golden symbols.

But, no, it wasn't his physical description that struck me. It was the sense I had, the impression that eminated from his figure like… like an ever-flowing tide. A pressure that beat words, feelings, directly into my mind.

_** DOMINANCY**_

_** TYRRANY**_

_** POWER**_

_**FEAR**__**.**_

And, without thinking, without my logical or even emotional conesent, my mind was already laid prostrate to this figure, without any knowledge of who or what he was.

And yet, despite my utter dread of him, he had saved us.

Umbra was as shocked as I was, judging by her reaction. Even then, she had more conscious than I did. She ducked back and promptly beat me down into the ground, kicking me over and over. I didn't even have time to object. Rather, in no time, I was practically buried in dirt and ash.

The monster brought back its claw, unsure of what to do. Could it feel the immense aura I was feeling? It seemed like it, because the behemoth was hesitating, as if unsure whether to strike again. It roared, weakly.

"**You don't belong here.**"

The dark figure raised his hand, then brought it down swiftly. The monstrous beast, a thing the size of a small castle, crashed to the earth, as if nothing, as if a flimsy piece of furniture being crushed beneath a landslide.

"**Dumb beasts.**" The figure pointed to the encroaching lava monsters, the minor ones. In an instant, they burst into blue flames, screeching pain and horror. As magma monsters, they were already made of molten rock: fluid, held together by some elemental force, supposedly resistent to melting and deformation. Yet, wreathed in this unholy flame, even they were melting into a puddle of slag.

"**Foolish creature**." As the giant monster struggled back to its feet, the figure calmly walked up to its mass, completely unphased by the hellish temperatures. It roared again; the man placed his hand on the molten hide and, without any visible effort, flung the monstrosity high into the air. It flipped thrice, and landed at the edge of the crater with a quaking boom.

"**Go back to your lair. Never return to the surface, ever again- or **_**else**_." The man's voice boomed and echoed, as if the entire sky was speaking. The monstrosity seemed to get it, because it slowly melted deeper and deeper into the earth, turning over and retreating. A massive gaping hole, rimmed still in dripping lava, was the last sign of the creature's invasion.

My eyes drew to Umbra- Hey! Where is she going? Towards another figure, laying on the ground and helpless. Was that Sorataem?

She was hugging him! That should be me! What was she doing?

"**Ether**!"

Who?

The great man with the overwhelming aura returned, walking steadily towards Umbra. They were maybe fifteen yards away. I could see everything clearly. Umbra lay across Sorataem, who seemed conscious but injured into motionlessness. I was under the impression of a great and wrathful father before his daughter and her lover.

"**Who is he?**"

"No one."

"**You cannot lie to me.**"

"He's no one! Just another wisp, from the city!"

"**Stand away.**"

She grasped Sorataem all the harder.

"**STAND AWAY!**"

When she didn't obey in the next second, the man reached down and dragged Umbra into the air, grasping her throat.

_Get off of her! Let go…. please, let go! Let… go…_

I couldn't help it. What was going on with me. What was it about this man? I wanted to scream the nastiest profanities at him, I wanted to beat him to a pulp with all of my rage, even as he flung Umbra across the way, like a rag doll. I can understand why I couldn't move, why I couldn't go rescue her. My body was just done, over, injured beyond action now. But why, oh why, could my mind not face this man? All I could think to do is beg and plead for her life. No, not even that. I couldn't even talk. I could only watch in silent terror. An unnatural terror, invading my mind, directly from this man.

_I'm going to die._

The man reached down and picked up Sorataem by the throat.

"**Your transgression, Ether, will be very, very difficult to forgive this time. This thing's sins, I will not forgive."**

His grip around Sorataem's throat tightened. The elder tried to resist, feebly and ineffectually. His eyes were wide open, popping from their sockets, wether in pain, or terror, I don't know. His mouth contorted into an inhuman expression. Then the dark, evil man began.

His other hand gripped Sorataem's own hand. He jerked it, obscenely swiftly. Sorataem's hand was gone, it had been taken off… but not cleanly. The bone of the forearm jutted out, like… like a gruesome pick emerging from a bloodied stump. The tall man took the edge of this bone, and pulled it out, slowly, anguishingly slow. All the while, Sorataem was screaming, a raspy, inaudible scream. If he had had any breath, at all, his cries would have pierced all the way back to the city.

The bone was all the way out. As it was ripped out, bits of bone and skin and flesh were stripped away as well. Where his forearm had been, only a ragged piece of skin hung, limp and doll-like.

_That had been a human arm. Now it's just an empty sleeve._

The man loosened his grip on Sorataem's throat. The man tried to scream, but for lack of air, was forced to breath in. The very act seemed excruciatingly painful to Sorataem.

"**Ether, are you watching? ETHER! LOOK!**"

Umbra's head twitched, as if forcefully jerked towards the gruesome sight.

"**Look at what you have wrought. Remember this. Burn it into your memory. Do you see this?**" He brought his free hand up. It was now glowing, or seemed like it was glowing, a white-blue flame-like aura encompassed it. The very sight of this magic hurt my mind. "**I have never hoped to make use of **_**this**_**. It is a curse. A curse of wounding, a curse of **_**pain**_**. Witness what just one of its applications is capable of.**"

He brought the unbearable blue-flame to Sorataem's shredded arm. Sorataem, with renewed breath, shreaked. The flame seemed to ignite, spreading across his injuries. Yet, even as it seemed to masticate the wound, it also seemed to draw back into itself, as if a vacume or maelstrom. With each passing moment, the flame in the man's hand grew stronger, fouler, more sinister in its aura.

"**Pay attention!**" Umbra was forced rigid, staring in horror at the ensuing scene.

He reached towards Sorataem's other arm. The flame in his hand reacted, as if eager, drawing towards the uninjured limb. The flame made contact.

I can't believe this. I can't watch it, but can't force myself to turn away.

The arm twisted. It tore. Scrapes appeared, bloody scrapes that grew into gashes, that grew into tears, that ripped apart at the seems. Strips of flesh fell off as if a cheese grater had been dragged along the skin. The entire limb, touched by no force but this unholy flame, was ripping itself to shreds.

The flame was removed. The second limb now seemed in a more gruesome condition than the first.

The man brought his flaming hand to the elder's legs.

The same aweful sight greeted me. Flesh that writhed, as if having its own life, twisting itself into an agonizing death. Even though Sorataem was paralyzed, his body was still heaving from the shock and pain of this torture.

When one leg had been stripped, he proceeded to the next leg. Then the man's gut. Then his groin. I couldn't help but vommit when I saw the man's testicles fall to the ground. Blood poured in several drivels.

"**Live!**" A reddish aura engulfed the hand that was gripping Sorataem's throat. He had seemed on the verge of passing out. With the one word command, Sorataem's eyes reopened, and his mouth resumed the gaping, rasping, but silent scream of inestimable agony.

The blue flame kept moving, from ribs, to chest, to stomach again, slowly tearing the man apart. Not just muscle and flesh now, but internal organs were peeling off, being sliced or shredded or exploded; each falling to the ground.

When the flame had consumed the heart, the monster in human guise saw fit to end its sadistic torture. It rammed the blue flame directly into his throat. Sorataem's silent scream burst his mouth; the skin between his jaws ripped apart. The pupils of his eyeballs burst, fluids spurted out, and then the eyeballs themselves were sliced apart and fell out. Blood, mixed with pink and black fluids, poured from every orrifice, as well as cracks and holes that had just opened up. The lower jaw fell off, and with that, the man's brains poured out, like- well, like raw sausage, wreathed in the hellish blue flame.

The man dropped what remained of Sorataem's corpse onto the ground. The dark flames dissapated from his hands.

"**That curse brings to bear all the injury and pain suffered by the flesh in a lifetime. It can feed off that pain, it can consume it, and use it to create more pain, inflict it elsewhere, and so on, until it creates a spiralling cycle of unendurable pain.**"

The figure turned to face Umbra. I still could not make out the features of his man, but I could clearly see her face. Her eyes were wide, and unblinking, and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"**I trust you will never, ever hope to bring another soul into MY domain ever again. Or else, they will suffer the same fate as this wretched thing- or **_**worst**_**. Remember this when you next think to defy me.**"

The man leaned down on one knee, and took Umbra by the chin. His voice dropped, from an invasive, imperative shout, to a whisper. He bent in close, to whisper directly into Umbra's ear, staying that way for several minutes.

"**And?**"

Umbra meekly nodded.

"**As well, do not invite any more trouble into my cities. I grew weary of covering for your transgressions.**"

There was another blast of magic, as a black creature-thing appeared. It had no definitive shape, except that it was winged. The man strode atop its back, and it ascended into the atmosphere. Within a minute, it was completely lost into the smoke-stained sky.

Umbra kneeled motionless. It could have been seconds or days, I couldn't sense time anymore.

It's not just terror. Well, it is terror, but it's all the kinds of terror combined. The fear of dying. The fear of injury. The fear of the unknown. The repulsive reflex of gruesome memories, gruesome visages. The feeling of hopelessness, the enormity of one's mortality, and the ability to do absolutelly nothing to avert it, to even delay it, to even prevent the most horrible things from assaulting one's person.

It's all these horrible, horrible emotions mixed into one ugly bag. An emotion too strong to be contained by a single mind; because it is not produced by a single mind- the emotion itself felt like an invading swarm, an infectious sky that tries to pour into one's little head.

The whole feeling distorted my sense of reality.

I thought I watched as I myself was subject to that hideous blue flame, and felt my own body being raked apart.

And when it became too much, my consciousness died. Really, the thinking part of me shut down. There was a kind of collage of darkness that swirled about my vision, while the part of me that observed the collage thought nothing, did nothing, comprehended nothing, and merely watched.

It was the greatest blessing, to see darkness, true darkness- the darkness of nothingness, of non-existence, non-thought, non-awareness, when it finally overcame me.

And when the sensation of pain returned, the feeling of grit on my bare skin, telling me I was alive- I wasn't sure if I was happy for that to be the case.

It was dawn, or near enough. A dim light filled the sky, barely illuminating the broken battlefield.

Umbra sat as I had last seen her. Her eyes stared without blinking into the ground before her.

"Um-" I tried. I couldn't speak. I tried again, and again, and again.

And it must have been ten minutes before I could even muster the strength to say a single word aloud.

"Umbra!"

When she heard my voice, she at last popped out of her trance.

"You."

"Help me."

She slowly, achingly stood up. Her hand rubbed her back. It was the first time I had even seen her injured.

"Umbra."

She looked at me.

"You're naked."

"Oh."

She stared, (in confusion?) at her own nude self. It was from when her clothes had burned away while confronting the lava monsters. Now, it's like she doesn't even comprehend why she is naked or what that even means. Even as I stared, I couldn't encode the image into memory. What should have been beautiful, lustful, was marred by the recent events into something sadder… Her nudity just emphasized the tragedy and banality of all that had happened.

At last, she shivered. Was she cold? Or just finally reacting to the horror? I was wishing for the former. The first use for garbs was to protect from the elements.

Umbra weaved some kind of spell, creating a very plain, ragged cloth to cover herself.

With much effort, I dug myself out of the dirt. I still couldn't stand, or even crawl. I simply lay in the ashes on my back.

Umbra plodded beside me, staring off into the distance.

I can't escape this feeling, this… I don't know how to describe it.

That, for all the terror and pain I had felt, what had been inflicted upon her was incomprehensibly worst.

"Can I do… anything?"

I wanted to hold her, at least. To comfort her. Somehow. To just let her feel another human.

Umbra simply stood by my side, though, not even facing me, staring into the ground beside me. She opened her mouth, and said,

"That was Wither."


	23. Aftermath

**Chapter 23: Aftermath**

Umbra said nothing more for days after. She remained in a catatonic state, blankly staring at the air between her eyes. It was Kante, garments singed and dirtied, but otherwise alive, who came to my rescue. He helped me back to the ruins of Solace, depositing me at a make-shift infirmary. Awhile later I saw him passing by, carrying Umbra in his arms. They were headed in the direction of the Cloud Temple.

The infirmary reeked. Not from the injuries, though, as most wounds were self-cauterizing burns. It was the lack of bowel control that did it. Also, no outhouses or the like to contain the matter. The masses of people milling and hurrying about added a fine mist of pungent sweat to the air. I was laying on my back, breathing deeply, in a vain attempt to acclimate to the odor.

"Hoy." One fellow to my right eyed me. "You look pretty banged up." He himself sported a badly burned arm and torso.

"What of it?"

"Words going round, you were one of the party went to fight the beasts."

"I did."

"Looks like you succeeded."

"Not really. We didn't accomplish anything."

"Still-" he stared me straight in the eye. At first I saw only that judgmental, xenophobic glare. Except I only saw it, I realized, because I was expecting it. That glare wasn't there, it was just my imagination. The stress must be messing with me. The man's real thoughts were confirmed a moment later.

"Thanks." He stretched his good hand out. I shook it. "That was brave. Braver'n anything I've seen in my life. So, yeah, thanks, for all of us."

"You're welcome."

Throughout the day, six or seven other people offered their gratitude to me. It didn't feel right, receiving their praise. What I had done was for ulterior motives, I hardly thought or cared for the safety of the city or its people. Even my inner guts were rebelling at the gratitude. I didn't like being well known and recognized; it was a bad trait for being a rogue. It's not like I accomplished anything, either. Perhaps I can take credit for the few smaller molten monsters I took care of, but it was Umbra who held off the behemoth. In the end, they were only repelled by an even more monstrous foe.

So, I was upset and uncomfortable.

"I know it's not your home yet, Wildelander, but I hope you'll stay. That was such a selfless thing you did for us." The nurse smiled for me. She patted the salve-imbued bandaging that wound about my wounded limbs and back. "You'll be better soon! I also want you to take this," she said, handing me a potion. "I don't know who planted the sunbud in you for that infection, but that's a such a sloppy and irresponsible thing to do. Don't you know what a sunbud can do to you if left in too long?"

"No."

"It'll take over your body organ by organ! We don't want that, right? This is called ambuallary herbal lathe. Between the Sunbud and your burns, I don't think you'll be in any danger from the infection, but you must take this lathe to halt the sunbud's growth."

"Thank you very much."

"It is the very least I could do for you. In Solace, we do not forget our heroes."

I got out of there soon after. They gave me a staff, which was an enormous help in walking about. I had two good limbs at the moment, and unfortunately, they were at opposite altitudes, meaning I could neither walk nor work to full capacity. It took most of my strength just to hobble a quarter-mile, ending up at the central plaza. The anti-sunbud potion tasted horribly sour, so I ended up taking it in-between huge gulps of water from the fountain. Minding Umbra's advice, I made sure to use the spigot this time.

A crew of eight or ten people worked to repair the collapsed front of one of the city offices. I watched their diligent work for awhile, for lack of anything better to do. There was something a little disconcerting to me, the way they went about their job. No one joked. Well, that could be forgiven, considering what their city had just suffered. Yet, there was something else odd about it. Not that they weren't joking… they weren't crying either, or making small talk, or sharing stories about the disaster. They were working steadily, efficiently, almost mechanically. Eyes were focused solely on their given task. The only words they uttered were instructions or questions pertaining to some part of the repair process. They never paid attention to anyone else around them, including me. They were so intensely focused on their task that they couldn't be bothered to show a single human emotion.

It felt awkward, having this observation. I needed to double check myself, to make sure I wasn't inserting prejudices into their behavior. Another quarter-hour of diligent study assured me that these workers were acting rather like ants. This was kind of suspicious. I made my way up to them.

"Hi. Can I help you guys?"

Not one of them even looked at me, though the nearest worker did tell me, "We're busy." I backed off.

This could be just a Luftan coping mechanism. It would make sense to kill the emotions and focus on hard labor, if that got rid of the pain. That was the theory I settled on as I perched back into a resting position against the fountain.

"All done for today," the foreman declared. The office was cleared of debris and the wooden framework erected. Maybe tomorrow they'll return and cement the stucco in place. The group observed their handiwork for a moment, then they began laughing.

"Huh?" The syllable of confoundment puffed out of my chest.

"Great job Willaky!"

"Meh, my wife's cooking is better than my carpentry."

"Awww come on, your wife's a great cook!"

"Oh? You want to guzzle down her quail again?"

"Well…."

"That's the caliber of cuisine I get every night. The bonza cake was a total fluke."

"Hey, I'll trade wives in an instant, cooking or no. Your's just has the prettiest smile, n legs."

"Shut up."

"Wonder when they'll fix the courtball plaza?"

"They said a fortnight."

"Wah? I can't wait that long! They'll cancel the Darknut game!"

"Yep, heard that they'll do that."

Was it just me? Am I crazy? Or am I that seriously out of whack with the Luftan culture? These stoic, robotical workers had become chatty manly-men talking about manly things and having a good raucous of it- all in an instant.

"Hoy!" I called out to them. "Hey fellows, where are you guy's going?"

The foreman answered for the group- "To the bar! Come n' join us!" Just like that, I go from being ignored to being invited as one of the guys.

"How'd that happen to ya?" One pointed at my injuries.

"It's a long story."

"Oh I'm sure. The lava briggs getcha?"

"Lava whats?"

"Lava briggs. That's what the things are called."

"I didn't know they had a name."

The man tried to pat me on the back, before his pal stopped them, shaking his head. "Don't go beating on his wounds like a drum idjit," he reprimanded him.

"Oy, fine."

"Lava briggs- do you know where they come from?"

"Oh wah? Kind of. Somewhere from the big peak areas; I've got family from Mountmoore and they send news about things every so often. Major pests up there. Still, nothing like this- a whole army's we got, and Solace ain't exactly a fortress."

"Here here. Thanks be the Walker, we had those three fend them off."

"We didn't exactly fend them off."

"What?" Most of the men turned their heads my way. Suddenly I was sorry I opened my mouth.

"You the Wildeland guy?"

I sighed. "Guilty."

"Well well, we got us a hero! C'mon, pepes, look at him hobblin! Put the guy on yer shoulders!" Without consent, or even time for me to protest, I was foisted onto the shoulders of the two biggest brutes on the crew.

"Seriously, guys, I didn't do anything special."

"You kidding? I heard from Finx what you did at the guild. That was… amazing."

"I…"

"How'd you get past monsters goin in? The place was surrounded! They made it sound like you were some sorta master rogue, slippin through the lines."

"Actually, I came from above."

"Above? Explain that."

"I used a rope to swing in, right as the big blast went off."

I thought I delivered that explanation plainly and without emphasis. In response, I was greeted wide-eyed stares of wonder. I swear one guy was crying manly tears.

"Mother of a…"

"So stupid, yet so… incredible…"

"No way you coulda survived that!"

"Actually I think I was closer to death when the big one charged us."

"Wildelander… just stop talking. There's too much epic coming out of yon hole of yours."

This feels really, really weird. These guys are blowing my deeds way out of proportion. Hopefully I'll have a chance to turn the subject to something else. In the meantime, however, my limbs were thankful for the free ride.

As they shepherded me into the bar, I thought about Umbra, hoping she was okay.

_I'll go look for her tonight, after my fun with these guys_, I promised myself.

Call me young, but I've not been one to indulge in drinking. Add to that the fact that I've gone without any liquor for a long time, long before my current heist began. Going in, I had no intention of buying a pint (I have no money) or accepting one (I had too much pride). Yet, when the rounds came, one fellow pushed a mug to my mouth.

"Sorry, I'm not that thirsty-"

"Brah, no, you aren't staying sober on our watch."

"Please," I incanted. The mug was lifted and practically shoved into my face. I pushed it away. "I'm really not thirsty."

"Not thirsty? After a firestorm like that? Stop talkin insanity."

"I really prefer not to-"

"Bugger, don't go leavin our thanks on a cold doorstep like this."

"Really?" I shot each of them a quizzical look. They were eagerly waiting my response, hoping for me to take the first swig of the night. I felt like my relationship with them was on the line.

Oh, whatever.

"Bottom's up." I chugged through a third of the mug in a single gulp.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" they roared together.

If this is what it takes to cement my place into society, earn their social graces, well, so be it. The effects of the first glass made it infinitely more likely I should accept the second drink, and third, and ninth- Anyways, the rest of the night existed in very scattered fragments. I remember we (yes, myself included), yelled a lot, screamed a lot, joked a lot, and made merry and rowdy. I was goaded into relating the tale of our adventure, which I did, almost to the end, before having the presence of mind to cut off the ending. That didn't sit well with my new friends, so I made up some fictional account where we mortals beat back the lava briggs on our own. Sorataem gave up his life in a heroic sacrifice to deal a fatal blow to the boss brigg, and I and Kante fought the monstrous army to a standstill. I think the tall-tale only served to boost their exaggerated image of myself.

Besides that, I remember the worst game of darts, of all time, and juggling carpentry tools, and a live introduction into the world of courtball, which seemed to be a fairly violent sport, if my inebriated friends were to be trusted.

It was near dawn when I finally limped into the night. The band waved farewell, then stumbled off to their respective homes, drunk to the balls.

"Damn it!" I cursed at myself, realizing two things. First, the reason I wanted to avoid drinking was that the dozen or so ales were not conducive to my current injured status. Second, I had forgotten about Umbra. I wanted to rush to the Cloud Temple, but ended up hobbling along at an infinitesimal pace.


	24. Of Grief and Hatred

** Chapter 24: Of Grief and Hatred**

The Cloud Temple hung in the air, looking lonely. Replacements for the destroyed bridges hadn't even begun, so there was no way to reach the temple. Kante had probably left Umbra in her house. I took my time ascending the tiers, because of my injuries. Well, honestly, even then I could have climbed faster.

It didn't feel right to see her. That nagging feeling held me back. What was wrong? With me? With the world? Why couldn't I shake this abnormal feeling of dread?

"Uhoh!" A familiar cry. Yobi appeared, skittering around my feet.

"Hey Yobi. Glad to see you're safe."

"Yup. Yup yup! All safe, everybody safe!"

"Where's Umbra?"

"Umbra?"

"Amber," I corrected myself. Blast, she had too many names. Maybe I should start calling her Amber like everyone else in Solace.

"Um, um, um…" Yobi was having difficulty saying whatever it was thinking. "Um…. I no say."

"What? Do you know where she is?"

"Yup!"

"Then tell me where!"

"Nope!"

"It's alright Yobi, I'm right here."

Umbra appeared at the top of the last ladder. I didn't see any injuries on her body, but her movements were worst than mine. And, for once, she looked exhausted. Without saying a word she turned and headed back to her place. Yobi bounced up the ladder after her, and I followed Yobi.

Inside, Umbra sat on her bed. On instinct, I went to embrace her, to try to comfort her.

"Don't touch me." She threw my hands off.

"I'm sorry."

"Unh. Sorry," she repeated. "Yeah." She wouldn't look me in the eye, only staring at the floor. So, unable to comfort, unable to converse, with nothing else to do, I sat on the bed and joined her in staring at the floor.

We had survived. Wasn't that enough? What was wrong with Umbra? I had sensed, from that moment, that she was hurt. But why? I can't believe that someone as strong-willed as her had been psychotically maimed by that torture scene. We have to move on, somehow, eventually. I want to help her do that, sooner, rather than later.

"Umbra."

No response.

"I know there's many evils that exist. Terrible things. This isn't the first I've seen. But, no matter how bad it gets, it's just a small part of what makes up life. There's a lot of good, and a whole lot of 'okay', that the evils can't-"

"Shut up."

"Please!"

"Shut the fuck up!"

Her vicious mutter took me aback. I didn't dare reply. She finally looked me eye to eye, and, to my shock, there was hatred in those orbs.

"I traded Sorataem's life for yours. I don't even fucking know you."

"No-"

She drew back into a fetal position.

"I'll leave."

There was no helping her get over this. Time was the only cure, hopefully, if ever. I'll have to let her alone for awhile.

"Stay put."

I ignored her command and kept going.

"Stay put or I will kill you." I slowed a half-step. "So help me I will feed you to Wither on a platter." At that I stopped instantly and completely.

"Were you close?" I asked.

"To?"

"Sorataem."

"Closer than you could possibly imagine."

What does that mean? Were they lovers? Family?

"My apologies. I didn't realize he was close to you." It must be hard on her. But I wish she would at least allow me to go. I don't want her to take out all her grief on me. That will only let her anger spiral out of control.

"Shut up. Just… You're my slave now. Shut up and stand still."

What was wrong with her? She's being a grand-case bitch and I'm not one to take threats like that idly. Slave? Of course not, I was, at best, her mercenary! Angry thoughts ran through my head, while we stared each other down. Similar thoughts of ire were traversing behind her eyes as well.

I can't leave her alone, she might be crazy enough to do something. But like hell I was going to take this. I just needed to find something to get her with- not tick her off, but scare or shame her. What does she really care about?

"Why did you save me then, huh? Are you just using me?"

"NO!" she snapped.

"Then why-"

"Shut up!" Faster than I could react, she leapt up. I was grabbed and hurled into the air, landing on the bed. Umbra landed on top of me, clutching my shirt. Then, to my amazement, she collapsed on top of me. She lay still, not crying or raging. Her form rose and lowered atop my heaving chest. Her face was buried in my chest, her hair sprawled across my face. I brushed it off, and idly, began stroking it.

"Umbra?"

Her voice came, gentle because it was so tired.

"There's not one soul in Luft I care for less than you."

"Then why save me?"

"Because it was the right thing to do."

"I don't understand.

"I can't explain. Not yet. Don't pressure me. Don't judge me. Don't look at me. Just stay put. I can't have you abandon me."

"I need an explanation. Even if it's an excuse. Don't turn yourself into a villain for me. Why do you say that? Why is it the right thing to do?"

She was silent, long enough for me to give up on an answer, when it came anyways.

"You're the only one who can save my world. If you die, and Wither lives, this world is doomed. You have- no idea, from the tiny glimpse you've had, seeing what kind of evil has to exist just for Luft to live on a little longer, day by day. The poison that courses underneath it all, that keeps it aloft but also makes it a hell to live in. It can't go on forever. It'll break, someday, it'll break. Wither is the source of it all. Only the Cloud Walker can stop him. I'm the only one who can save the Cloud Walker, and you- you're the only one who can help me do that. So- yes, I'm using you. But don't fault me for it. Because you're the only one who can save us, your life is worth all those lives I value put together, I guess."

Hmm.

She doesn't care about me personally. But she cares about everyone else. She cares for me so far as I can save her beloved Luftans. Should I fault her for that? No, it's not right to do so.

It certainly was a good excuse. Good enough that I might actually believe it.

Damn it. I'm stuck here, feeling, what? Remorse? Pity? More like, frustration.


	25. The First Recovery

**Chapter 25: The First Recovery**

Seven or so days wore on; I lost track of the number, because I spent nearly all of it sleeping. Umbra wouldn't talk with me. She grudgingly acknowledged my existence through the odd angry glances and grunts. It was a sight better than how she treated the rest of the town, though. All visitors were ignored and/or turned away. This task fell to the one creature she did converse with, Yobi.

The waving four-tails were a near-constant sight about the place, as Yobi sniffed its way into the cupboard, or under the bed, or looking out the window, or hunched over the wash basin, or whatever else it was occupied with. During the hours of boredom, I would notice how Yobi's tails acted and reacted. If he heard someone approach, they'd go stiff and erect. They started wagging like a dog if he was excited or joyous. The most interesting thing was when he found something curious. The yobi's body would turn deathly still, save for the eyes and head, which intently followed whatever had enthralled him- and his tails, which would twist in a curious circular pattern, winding and unwinding like a quartet of tightly-wound ropes. There was one ridiculous instance, I recall, when Yobi was staring down a mouse, I was watching Yobi, Umbra was glaring at me, and the mouse was tracking Umbra. The mouse eventually darted outside suddenly, Yobi jumped in surprise, Umbra threw up her hands in frustration, and I laughed at the pittance of a comedy.

If this seems mundane and trite, well, it was a mundane and trite period. My wounds were healed, true, but that didn't stop them from aching and sapping my stamina. By the end of those seven days (or eight? It really might have been eight) I was still cramped. Umbra, however, was getting impatient.

"Yobi, I'd like some more of that crumb-soup of yours. Could you get me some?"

"I tired. Okay, I go." Yobi began trotting out to the cooking spit to fetch his soup.

"What the hell? Stop making Yobi do everything for you! Get off your lazy ass and do it yourself!"

"Language!"

"I don't care! You've got two good legs, use them!" She glared angrily at the window, not me. So apparently, it was okay to talk to me, or look at me, but not both simultaneously, and either had to be done in an angry and perturbed manner. Alas, the complexities of our new relationship!

Although, I had been thinking recently that this was a sorry, irritating state for me to be in. I brought myself to a sitting position- swiveled so that my legs dangled over the bed. Tested each foot. Lurched myself into a standing position. This feels good. I guess I'm recovered now. Yobi was half-way out the door.

"It's fine, Yobi, I can get it myself." I took one step and fell face-first into the floor.

"The hell?"

The pain had taken me by complete surprise. But, it wasn't like knife-in-the-leg kind of pain.

"Don't play invalid," Umbra spat at me.

"Help me up," I asked. I brought myself to one knee, tried to stand, and fell again. Undaunted, I tried again, but the same numbness kept my leg paralyzed. I was ready to tip over when a strong arm lifted me up.

"You've gone dead-leg, pinched off the blood flow. That's what you get for sleeping for so long." She said that in her typical sarcastic manner, and her eyes are still harsh, but, for the first time since the battle, she's looking straight at me. It made me kind enough to give her a rueful smile. She returned it with a rueful frown of her own.

"They never mention this kind of thing in the legends."

"Which legends? And what don't they mention?"

"The tedium of recovering. It's like the hero never, ever gets hurt. Or if he does, he finds some magic heart-stone or a magic potion, and BAM! healthy and hale."

"What legends?" Umbra asked again. She draped me over her shoulder and lugged me to the bed, depositing me there. "Tell me."

"Well, there's the Heroes. The Heroes… You know-" And I was at a loss at how to explain it to her. "Like, the Hero of Time, the Hero of Light, the Hero of Life, the Hero of Seasons, the guys who show up when some big bad evil envelops the world."

"Tell me more."

"That's… kind of all I know, actually. I only heard about them at taverns, well, overheard them. When the badgery old men get into a story-telling mood, and they con the foreign travelers into sharing too. Most of the heroes are from another land, none from Holodrum- My home is kind of peaceful anyways."

"Tell me about it."

"About what?"

"Your home."

I leaned back, recollecting and mentally organizing everything that would be safe to tell her.

"I grew up in a village a little north of a great dismal swamp. North of that was a set of woods, and we were never allowed there because it was cursed or something - you were guaranteed to get lost. So, we were sandwiched in. If we wanted to go somewhere for fun, it'd have to be east, to the river or lake. We had four festivals a year, but I only ever cared for Winter Tide. The other three just meant a crap load of work out in the fields. Winter was when we gave gifts, and there was a sparring tournament that I loved watching. I guess one regret I have about leaving was not being old enough to actually enter the duels."

"Go on."

So I spent half an hour telling her about home-life, mainly complaining about my father and brothers.

"What about your sister?"

"No, she was a sniveling, bleedy brat. She sucked up to my brothers all the time, and was always out to get something for herself. Heh." My eyes found my naval. "I think they were such an unbearable lot. I don't know if I ever want to see them again. But, the way things were headed, I doubt my siblings will turn out alright. Father was teaching them everything about how to browbeat your way through the world, but nothing about moral fiber. I really feel sorry for her. I wish she could get away from it."

"Your sister?"

"My mother."

"Oh."

I wondered what she was doing right now. I wondered what her face would look like now, with another seven? years of toil, stress, and emotional abuse worked upon it. Doubtless she would have spent a considerable chunk of those years worrying for me. I mean, it was expected I would go out and make a living on my own. That's what all the combat lessons, shop hours, chores and farm labor were for: build character, make me into a real man, an independent man. It wasn't exactly expected for me to follow in my father's footsteps either. Only one son is eligible to carry the title of knight that my father possessed, and that was always going to be my oldest brother, Woden. So, with all that, it felt like I needed to get out and find my own career, my own path. But, in her heart, mother thought I would stay close, visit them every once in a while. She hoped I would settle down and raise family, and become a respectable father and husband, like father, but also a man of honor and kindness, unlike father.

I shitted all over those hopes by running away at a much younger age than they expected. I sent and received a single letter while I still patrolled around the Horon region, and that was the last communication I had of them for the past seven years. They could all be dead now; I wouldn't have a clue. Rarely, very rarely, the thought of it resurfaces and sours my mood. I related all of this to Umbra.

"That's so sad!"

"Are you close to your family?" I asked. She paused before answering.

"I'm an orphan. Or so I was told," Umbra said. Dark clouds passed beneath her eyes. She shivered. "I don't know what to make of it. _He_ was the one who told me that. Obviously, there's a matter of trust… you get the idea. I never knew any family."

"Who raised you? Not him, right?"

"No, no. Various people. Maids, nannies, servants, the like. I was passed around. I don't really remember much about my childhood. What I do is all muddled, or bad, or boring. You could say my life didn't really start until I moved here to Solace."

"I see."

"Since, then, I've just made wonderful friends with everyone. They're all my family."

"I did notice how popular you were."

She chuckled. Another first, since the battle.

"Come on. How's your leg?"

I wiggled my legs about. Her hand wrapped on the kneecap, which reflexively kicked the air.

"Better."

"Then get up." I did so, stumbled a little, before catching her proffered hand. With her help, I made it to the door. Reaching it, she shoved me out, rather forcefully. My feet bumbled and caught each other- I nearly tipped over- and at the last second caught my balance and hopped into a standing posture. A slow, sarcastic clap rang out behind me.

"You can walk, you're the best," she intoned.

"Goddesses have mercy," I replied.

"So, if you're healthy, you get till tomorrow morning."

"And then what?"

"We're setting off."

"Where?"

"For your training."

"I don't need training."

"Like hell. You can't even solo one of the lava monsters," -"They're called briggs," I interjected -"let alone one of the four memory devils. Oh good, where'd you learn that?"

"I read about it," I lied. She ignored me and began pacing in a circle around me.

"You need to be stronger, faster. You could use some magic or weapons. I know you liked that sword, but until, or rather, _if_ you get it back, we need to arm you with something. And teach you how to fight monsters with it. And teach you about the monsters that inhabit this land- they're nothing you'd be familiar with."

"Can you clarify something for me?"

She halted suddenly, pivoted to face me, and spat out a "What?".

"The huge lava brigg, was that one of the four memory monsters?"

"Yes and no."

"Explain."

She resumed her pacing, and I sensed she was happy to talk business and not dwell on more emotional matters.

"That was not the original memory devil. The original was a dragon named Miirkudoun, but you don't have to remember that. Anyways, it was always the most violent and aggressive of the memory devils, and it often started wars. One time, it started a war it couldn't win, and was fatally wounded. It crawled back to its lair and died. However, the part that hosts the Cloud Walker's memory is immortal. If its host dies, it materializes as a kind of dwarfish, spectral, weird monster. The blood of the dragon seeped into the earth, which got the lava briggs roiled up, because of the nature of the dragon's blood and the residual chaotic energy imbued within it by the memory devil. So they went on a rampage. The mini memory devil caught a hold of one of the lava briggs, or the lava brigg ate the memory devil, but either way, the memory devil was caught inside the behemoth. It subsequently grew to ten times the size of the rest, picked up some modicum of intelligence, and adopted a disposition towards "permanently perturbed and desirous of crushing the hell out of every living creature within its conception of existence'. So our target is not quite the giant lava brigg, but the miserable monster infecting it. Did you get all of that?"

I nodded, even though a third of it escaped me.

"And to that end, we need to get you up to par to fighting it."

"How."

"Training, with a master."

"I don't need training. I'm already good enough. Just give me a plan."

"Oh really? You seemed pretty pathetic compared to everything else back there."

"I can do better," I spat at her. Umbra gave me a bemused look.

"Care to test that?" she said.

"Yeah," I shot back.

She paused a moment, a look of fiendish delight passing her countenance.

"What do you know about courtball?"


	26. Courtball

***author's note: I'm about to finish college and so, hopefully, I'll be able to put out chapters in a more consistent manner from now on. Don't hold me to that.***

** Chapter 26: Courtball**

Here's what I knew about courtball, courtesy of my drinking buddies from the other night:

It is called courtball because it is played in an enclosed courtyard, roughly fifty by twenty-five yards on a side, ten yards high.

First, the reason for being played in a courtyard is the nature of the ball: it has the property of being extremely elastic. In simpler words, it is bouncy. In more accurate but still simple language, it ricochets worst than a billiard ball in an ice maze.

Next, the object is to advance the ball into the opponent's net.

There are seven men on a team.

Regular games are played for one hour, with one five minute break at the half.

Tournament games are played till one team scores ten points, with no breaks.

There are four positions.

And…

It is an extremely, _extremely_ violent sport.

It is very likely my recovery was prolonged due to the friendly courtball practice we held in the bar that night. I was made well aware that men frequently missed work due to injuries caused by such episodes. Mind you, these practices were between friends with less-than-maximum force thrown at it.

Real matches featured bitter, hate-filled professionals. The rules state that holding the ball was completely acceptable. However, holding the ball made one eligible for full body contact, excluding the head and groin. Legal moves included tackling, wrestling, tripping, elbowing, punching, spitting, and _drop-kicking_. So, theoretically, it was in the players' interest to smack the ball around. In reality, the advantage of simply trying to dive through the net ball-in-hand was too great a temptation.

"I know quite enough, thank you," came my answer to Umbra's inquiry. She grinned. A wide, manic grin.

"Good!"

"Oh hells no." It was a trap, and I had fallen into it, and there was no getting out of it.

That evening I was enrolled with the Solacean Fallers. They were in the midst of the scrimmage season, allowing Umbra to maneuver me into the lineup.

"I'll give you three games, and you need to score three goals in at least one," she said. "I've known better men than you, ones who failed miserably when faced against the dangers you'll have to face, go in and score five in one game."

"If I don't?"

"If you don't, I'm dragging you to Ketlow or Manan Tur for some proper combat training." She then abandoned me to a crowd of strangers.

I concentrated on my new team-mates. Each donned the same colors, dark blue, light blue, and gold, and all of them looked to be adult men with some muscle on them. I expected scowling and grimaces: typical reactions to inducting a newbie. Instead, they actually seemed pretty happy to see me in their ranks.

"Hoy, nice seeing you, hero!" said one. Damnit! They know me already? My reputation is getting out of hand. A massive lug, three times my size, barreled up to me. "Call me Hutch. I'm the captain, this my vice-captain Prayner," and he then proceeded to introduce to me the twelve members of the Solacean Fallers (so-called, apparently, for being based in the waterfall-side of Solace). He then gave me a rundown of the (few-in-number) rules, and the (overwhelming-in-intricacy) strategies we were to play with.

"Love to see what you're capable of," Hutch said with a massive grin.

""No, please," I begged off. "I can't be that good, this will be my first time at this. I don't even play sports."

"No worries. You look in shape," Hutch replied. He picked me up with one hand and laid me on top of the bench. "Course, you'd never do for a center, like me. A good striker or runner, though." I noticed that while three others shared Hutch's massive frame, the rest of team's stature dwindled till the smallest was, quite frankly, a shrimp. I stood over the latter by half a head.

"Let's practice!"

And so we practiced. I donned on the padded over-shirts they use for protection and jogged out to the court with the rest of them. And at first, they were very gentle. I was enjoying myself. Then they weren't so gentle.

"You seem a little hesitant," said the vice-captain. "So, yeah. Sorry in advance."

"For what?" A round object landed square in my chest. My hands instinctively latched onto it. Then a 190-pound blitzing predator crashed on top of me like a cat- oh, fuck hyperbole, like a _mountain lion_ getting overly zealous for its next rat-snack. I hit the dirt and once more experienced a world of bone-warping pain. The ball flew out my grasp like a bullet, flying into the wall and then some twenty yards into the air. Prayner caught it on the way down, one-handed.

"Need to be faster reading the situation," he commented. "Nice reflexes, though, we can work with that."

For the next half-hour I practiced being a target dummy for men who mostly outweighed me by integer multiples. I feared that my injuries would resurface. Not that this battalion of exercises couldn't create _new_ injuries too. Hutch sighed after I failed to bounce back up within a second of being smacked down.

"You're not going to run. You'll be corked. Let's check your throwin and hittin. Prayner!"

Prayner instructed me to stand opposite of him and the net.

"Try to get the ball into the net without grabbin a hold of, kay? Remember, no fiddling, the refs give defense a second or so to hit you even if you just tap the ball."

"Right." I focused on the ball in Prayner's hand, remembering the feel, the weight, and the balance of it. He lofted it towards me at high speed.

"Hah!" I severed the thing mid-flight with a chop. It shot straight back at Prayner, glancing off his shoulder and bouncing up, just barely hitting the bar of the net and bouncing away. It didn't matter to me, though. I was happy about something that happened a split second before: Prayner flinched.

"Okay…" his gaze drifted from the ball to me, and he broke into a grin.

"Again." He hefted it, I put more force into my arm. The ball hit the ground then flew into the air, missing wide.

"Again."

The ball shot straight towards Prayner's face; he blocked with his forearms, bouncing it back towards me.

"Again," I demanded.

His throw came at a funny angle, causing me to slow a fraction and readjust. The shot fired straight into the corner of the net, too fast and too well-aimed for Prayner to do anything about it.

"Nice," he said. "Try more."

By nightfall I was sweaty and out of breath. They had run me through every imaginable drill they could think of for a striker- the position that generally played courtball like a nonstop game of billiards, and the one I was expected to fulfill.

Hutch dropped back as they we were leaving. He was out of his gaming gear and in a plain smock. The odor coming off of him was terrible, and I was worried the same was true for myself.

"You might make it, you might," he said.

"Am I really any good?"

"Oh, no, you're not. Sorry to be blunt, but you're brand new. But ah, well."

"What is it?" I was wondering how Umbra convinced them to let me on the team.

"Well, it's just scrimmages. No use particularly caring about whether we goof or not. Tomorrow we're off, then day after, we'll be facing the Wellers. May they all sink in the ballam."

"Rivals?"

"Enemies!" he said, emphatically, slapping his hand against his thigh. "The bane of Solace,"

SLAP!

"the bastards who cry foul whenever a wee thing goes wrong with their high fumin strategy and low-mencing tactics,"

SLAP!

"milking the coobies with their dames and troublin the scouts with rough-a-dins,"

SLAP!

"talkin a dungheap against the rest of Solace, mollyin over them Port Terrace Misters like a scorn lover,"

SLAP!

"As if the 42' champs was good enough to see the likes of them on the field!"

SLAP!

"I could rankle their heads like a politoad." His hands mimed a strangling motion, followed by a pounding of his fists together. His accent grew thicker and thicker the more worked up he got. "Oh, but I should be not angry with them, for now. They lost a man to the briggs. We'll go easy on them. So I suppose you'd be a nice handicap for their consideration."

"But that's not why I'm here," I said.

"No. You're a wit, aren't you? You bein in the game takes a spot away from another guy, and they all want their playtime. I would not a let you on the team just for that. I'm doin this for Amber, of course."

"I see."

"I'm a rancher, you should know. Caddle, right. Amber was mighty helpful when a plague caught my caddle-calfs a little while ago. Found the cure in some dusty corner of the world, had a shipment made for the ingredients come on from the Wildelands too. Say, aren't you from there?"

"Close enough," I replied. Thankfully he didn't follow up.

"Went way out there to just help my calfs. And to think, it's not a great love for the calfs, since we'll be dinin on them eventually, but she was worried about my well-bein. That sound too nice? And- Not just me, even. Amber has her times, where she's one way or the other. She's always liked, of course. Some recent times, though, she's a little under the spirits. I don't know her that well, no one really does, but I'm thinking when she gets like that she likes to help people. Takes her mind off of her own troubles or somethin. So, it's all of us that have some debt or another to her, and we all want to see her cheered up. So, me personally, I'm glad to be doin her a favor. Get my drift?"

"I get it."

Hutch leaned back on two hands. He was absently looking at the night sky. "There's an old legend, you know. Little lights that came on in the sky, when it turned dark. Then, just one day, they disappeared. Curious, eh?"

"Stars," I mumbled.

"Stars? What's that?"

"Oh," I needed a cover, quick-

"I've heard of that. The version in my nook of the world called them stars. Don't know very much more, though."

"Stars, hmm? Pretty name." He contemplated by himself for a minute. "I'm movin Prayner back to keeper to let you in, and our usual keeper will need to sit for part of the game. I'm thinkin you can have however long you last. Practice up tomorrow, mm? I'll tell Prayner to show up, I know he's free."

"Alright."

"Now I don't want you to make us look too kindly, you see. Rivals, as you say."

"I know the feeling." I really didn't.

"Oh, and, one last thing," Hutch said directly to me.

"What?"

"Try to stay alive, will yeh?"


	27. Courtball: Fallers versus Wellers

**Chapter 27: Courtball: Fallers versus Wellers**

"What's with the crowd?"

"They're a coming to see the game."

"But it's only a scrimmage."

Prayner shrugged.

"They want entertainment. Need some uplifting after the attack."

"Don't remind me."

"Oh, right."

Umbra had pulled me aside yesterday evening, after Prayner drilled me to death in running practice. She had a somber look on her face. I had asked her what the cause of it was.

"Thirty-six dead, including two village elders," she had responded.

So, even if the crowd was large, it also seemed to be not very raucous. The attitude around the court was somber, reserved. There were maybe five or six hundred people present; more than a few of them must have lost someone. There were those not paying attention to the field but hugging each other and crying, others that stared blankly at their feet. A woman leaned over and comforted one such fellow. I had heard Hyrule was like this, using its sports and tournaments to bring the community together after a tragedy. Holodrum wasn't in the habit, and I never stayed still long enough to empathize with other lands, so this was new to me. I did spot Umbra, near the top of the stands. She was gazing at the crowd too, contemplating faces and who knows what else. Her hair glistened silver in the sunlight, her bangs falling across her eyes. Her delicate-seeming hand reached up to brush the offending hairs away.

"I wonder," I said aloud.

"Hmm?"

I gestured towards Umbra. "Umbra."

"What?"

"I mean Amber."

"Who? Oh, Ilian." Prayner squinted before spotting her as well.

"Ilian?"

"Well that's what she told my town to call her."

"Where are you from?"

"Town on the eastern rim, Clockpatch."

"Uhuh."

"I moved here for work," he explained. "So, Ilian, to us. Annoying, isn't it? Girl could stick with one name."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Do you like her?"

"Like? Yeah, of course. Everyone does. Hutch is a huge fan of hers."

"Hey," I motioned for him to lean in close.

"What's what?"

"I mean, does anyone _like_ her? Does she have a special someone?"

"Oh, you got your eye on her?"

"No!" I gestured defensively. He eyed me, and grinned. "She's cute, I admit, but she's too… too much for me. I was just wondering if she had anyone."

"Well, the most I heard, she was in a bad relationship, but that was a long time ago. I haven't heard anything yay or nay since, um, five years ago."

_I love her, you should know._

Her word floated back to me. Did she have an unrequited crush on the Cloud Walker or something?

Come to think of it, that would be pretty weird. By all accounts, the Cloud Walker is a maverick, careless god with half a brain and no memories. I couldn't see how that relationship would work out.

"Don't space out, we're up."

"Alright yeh lambs, we're in for the scrimmage, but let's not be a too wee lax! Set the tone for next-come season, show em what they're in for after the weepin matches go over! You think they'll be a weepin for another reason _then_ AYE-AYE?" Hutch raised his fist for us.

"OO-RA-HA!" We shouted back in unison.

"Then out'n we go!"

We rushed onto the court, and the crowd finally broke its vigil. The cheers were loud and celebratory. A small corner of the stands featured a cadre of sky-blue-cloaked fans. These were currently rooting wildly and breaking into chants and yells. I waved them on with the rest of my temporary team mates. I even noticed Umbra walk down to join them. They laughed and sang for her, and she obliged them by conjuring a sky-blue cardigan and putting it on herself. Whatever had been bothering her vanished, and she quickly became the very picture of our team mascot.

"Thiel you'd better do it, you braggart!" she shouted. I gave her an angry glare and a fist pump in return.

"And my fellows Solaceans, from the upstream courtyard, the Solacean Wellers!" A troupe of evergreen-clad fellows marched onto the field.

I was under the impression these guys would be bigger, meaner, more evil than us. What I got was a team to match our line-up man for man. On the surface, they were even more enthused and their fans even more wild than ours. A closer looked revealed they were putting up a brave front, though. As soon as one fellow turned to the court, away from fans, his eyes went downcast and turned gloomy.

"Ayoo. I know they're a hurtin from losin Mayoway, but that doesn't mean we're letting them a go. You know Solacean League's motto," Hutch advised us.

"Never less than one's best," the men chanted.

"Alright, get in the box, get suited, and let's get it on."

The thirteen of us shoved ourselves into the team box. A door and a short flight of steps led to an elevated suite, lined with benches and sporting a good view of the arena.

"Hattil, Prayner's taking your place on tending today."

"Aye," said one of the mid-sized men.

"I want you to go Runner for five minutes, then Thiel here will pick up your spot." Huttil eyed me indifferently, nodded, and that was settled. Hutch continued assigning positions and explaining today's tactics.

He laid his bear-paw of a hand on my shoulder. "We'll give you a look first, before we throw you in. Don't go getting queasy on us."

A referee hoisted the ball into the air, and the match began.

"Makko!" "Lott!" "Here! Here here here!" _CRUNCH!_ "Get outa the way!" "Hutch!" "Hutch! Hutch!" _CRACK!_

These weren't kids playing a game of kick-a-ball. They were in a constant state of controlled chaos. I hadn't readily gotten the impression from practice, but now the "full-contact" nature of the sport was impressed upon me. Even the guys who weren't touching the ball were bumping, blocking, pushing and shoving each other. It took one of our guys knocking a defender onto his back for the ref to call a "mere" fowl. Fowl's were only worth a free, unmolested throw from the ball's current position, not even a shot on the goal. To say nothing of the poor blokes who actually _held_ the ball…

"Oooh!" I joined the audience in wincing as one of ours was flipped over mid-air, landing badly on his torso. I was worried, but the thick-chested plugger got up, shook it off, and play went on without pausing.

Clay, our lead striker, went in tandem with Huttil. He got off two goals in rapid succession by volleying the ball towards a waiting Huttil, who proceeded to dodge their tender and leap into the net. From the green-colored corner, I took it this was a nasty piece of work: two goals within four minutes was considered rather lopsided.

Clay attempted a third such strike, but the defenders got wise and covered Huttil. A deflection sent the ball high and out of the arena.

"Alright, you're up." I was pushed out into the arena. Huttil jogged back.

"Good luck," he huffed as he passed me.

Then everything became fast. Really fast. Apparently the other team decided Clay was too dangerous to give a shot at the ball.

"Woah!" I barely dodged sideways as a huge green center stumbled backwards rapidly. The ball whizzed by my head a split-second later, and I found myself leaping in the other direction to avoid Hutch.

"Move it!"

Hutch had explained this situation to me. Strikers most often get shots at the ball when it's pried loose from a center or plugger. If the opponent wanted to keep the strikers off-balanced, their own centers would spend time nailing the ball as hard as they could, sending it ping-ponging around the arena. That's what was happening now, and I felt the thing was like a living bullet aimed at random.

"Here!" I saw the ball lofted in an arc. I ran for a jump; caught the ball mid-air with my palm, and sent it flying towards the enemy net.

"Oooh!"

Their tender easily caught it and handed it off to their center.

"What are yeh doin!" Hutch shouted at me.

"Fuck, it was there!"

The big bastard made an ugly face and gesture and ran off to tackle a runner. Politeness and civility get left on the sidelines, I guess.

I ran about our backcourt, looking for the green runner who was tripping over dozens of tackles, never getting a path to our net but inexplicably managing to elude our defenders. Suddenly he was in front of me. He juked, cut to my left, and I matched. He juked again, but this time bounced the ball to his team-mate.

My reflexes kicked in. This is the kind of moment-to-moment situation I've seen on any number of capers. The balance of their foot, the shifting of the weight on their hips and calves, the focus in their eyes- I could sense the runner egging away to a spot, slightly open, and I could see our men collapsing on the team-mate. I just _knew_ what was about to happen.

"Hiyah!" I slapped the ball, hard, as the green team-mate attempted to pass it back to the runner. The ball went flying into the air, straight into Clay's hands. He took three steps, fired it, and the ball went stinging into the corner of the net.

"Good job Clay!" Several team-mates rushed to congratulate him. Prayner jogged to my side and patted me on the back, the lone sign of appreciation. I smirked.

Yeah, it was great for Clay, and our team. Hell, I wasn't that vested in making myself look good anyways. But, unless Umbra counted assists, I needed three goals of my own, and this wasn't helping.

The green runner was given the ball.

"Thiel get back up front!" Hutch yelled. That one moment caught him turned wrong, and the runner blitzed his way through an open lane. Two dodged tackles and three seconds later and he ran into our net.

Our side was cowed, the green corner celebrated.

"Sorry!" I apologized.

"Forget it, front, now!" Hutch emphatically ordered.

Five minutes and they scored again. Three minutes later they tied. That runner was obviously the best person on their team. His third goal came compliments of a flying wedge ramming a lane down the center of the court. They figured that, so long as the runner could keep dodging Hutch and company and keep his hands on the ball, Clay's striking ability was irrelevant.

I was getting frustrated, and the flags indicating the time showed that we were almost at halftime. I was getting sore again from being elbowed and pushed around. Not to mention, the wear of catapulting back and forth across the court was running my stamina down.

I saw the ball bouncing across the ground, dislodged by a lucky tackle. I didn't have time to even lean down; I trapped it with my foot, looking for an opening. The goal was clear, only their tender! I launched it with my foot, drawing a gasp from the crowd. Just as I let it loose, their striker clipped my shoulders, pulling off just in time to avoid a full-on tackle. I spun round, dropped to my knees and clutched my shoulder.

"OOOO!"

"Close!" The tender had to dive and swat the ball away. Our men took it and put the pressure on, making three good runs on the goal before the ball was sent ping-ponging again.

Damn it. I'm this sore and I haven't made one goal! An official dropped the fifth. We had five more minutes till the half.

I began lurching around, looking for an opportunity, _any_ opportunity, to get my hand or foot on the ball.

"Thiel, stop being selfish!" yelled Prayner. I ignored him.

Then I saw it. A space. And Clay, if he knew what was good for me and good for us, if only he'd see it too…

I wrestled my way into the opponents corner. Clay was playing runner, taking it down the opposite sideline, but having a hard time of it. The guy who covering me got drawn in. I waved my hand.

_ SMACK!_

_ PAT!_

He was gang-tackled, but heaved it in my direction at the last instant. It was a fraction out of reach, I couldn't get a decent shot on it, but… just enough to send it skyward a few feet. It came down. I had a single second to gage the trajectory and ready my body.

_ THWACK!_

_ TING!_

_ CRUNCH!_

Their tender had been covering low, he had no chance of stopping a ball ricocheting off the upper cross bar and into the net. He pounded both fists into the ground.

I didn't see that though. I was three yard from where I should have landed, buried beneath their largest center. I felt all the wind going out of me. The center got off, fuming over my goal. He looked down at me, wheezing and cringing, and his face changed to concern. He offered me a hand up, but I couldn't even take it. Pain, this time encompassing my rib cage, hit my being in blunt waves. The center backed off, allowing my team mates to surround me.

"Are you okay?"

"Ack!"

"Get him out, get him out!" They heaved me between them and took me to the team box. One of the rag-covered beings, this one in full bandages like a gibdos, rushed to my side.

"Nekay? Nekay? Ney, still, sit. Here. Hurt? Ne? Nenai?"

These things and their accents! He carefully prodded my chest. After a few minutes examination, he hefted off my padding and applied some cold salve to my chest.

"Done. Today, no more. Skin, bruised. Bones, bruised, lungs, bruised. Lucky, nothing broken."

"I'm out?"

"Yesne, out, quite out."

I clenched my fist.

Prayner and Hutch came to my side as the game went on.

"It's okay, chap."

"You did good. That was some goal."

"I need two more," I spoke, clumsily.

Hutch shook his head. "Sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Taking hard hits doesn't come overnight," Prayner explained in a sort of apologetic, compassionate manner. "Takes years to toughen the body up to take hard blows like that."

"I guess. Guess," I said.

"Geez, the fact that you even took that and still scored? Pretty damn amazing for a first-timer. How'd you not die?" How indeed? I'll give the credit to the numerous cripplings I've taken in the previous weeks.

They patted my shoulder and went back to the game. As half-time was announced, the rest of team gathered round to give their condolences and congratulate me on my first goal.

I watched, avidly, the rest of the game. I knew in the back of my mind I would have to face Umbra and her overblown expectations. Technically, I still had two games left to try to reach her goal. Yet… I don't think I could take another pounding like that. I might get legitimately injured next time, then where would my combat prowess be?

"Bother," I mumbled. I put it in the back of my mind by concentrating on the game.

With Huttil back in the tender, we were scored on twice in the first five minutes of the second half. That runner was devilish. However, Prayner moving up front proved to be more than the Wellers could handle. The man could do everything: dodging, tackling the smaller guys, stripping balls, punting, smacking, passing, tripping, I mean everything. I wondered that he wasn't team captain; if not our leader, he was certainly our ace. He put three into the goal himself, and helped Clay with a fourth as time ran out.

The final score- Fallers: 8 Wellers: 6. The sky-blue section roared into cheers. I looked up to the stands, searching for Umbra. She gave a hollering right alongside the craziest of fans. She spotted me staring at her, gave me a thumbs-down and a wicked grin. I responded in kind. The imminent "told-ya-so" was going to be embarrassing.

"Ooo-Ra-Ha!" Ooo-Ra-Ha! Ooo-Ra-Ha!" The team and crowd roared their war cry. As the celebration died down, Hutch, Prayner, and Clay joined the other side and took a few minutes to talk quietly with them. They all bowed their heads for a moment, then parted with somber expressions.

The team paraded down the streets of Solace, followed by a half-hundred adoring fans.

Link and Zelda smiled at me.

"What?"

"You looked so excited there for a minute."

"It's.. kind of special a memory for me," I said, sheepishly.

"Oh?"

"It was my first goal. I mean, I was stuck in that land for three years, by my reckoning. There was almost a whole year there, where I played for the Solacean Fallers. By the end of it I was pretty damn good at the sport; basically the second best striker in Solacean history. It's really quite fun, if you don't get snapped in half. Want to know more?"

"It's not necessary, right now," Link said, a little bemused.

"Damn, I could go on for _days_," I said with a minor laugh. A pity too, because I wasn't kidding, and it would put off the emotional bits for that much longer.

"So I take it Umbra took you training," the big knight asked.

"She did."

"And was it the usual ho hum? Training tends to be a boring story."

"Oh, well, yeah, the training itself was boring and tedious. I wouldn't put myself through the telling of it, either. But, well, it's worth explaining the circumstances, since I got to meet the skarrow."

"The skarrow?"

"The skarrow," I nodded, and sighed. If there were parts of my story I didn't want to tell because they were painful and emotionally scarring, and parts that were too boring and uneventful to relate, well… here's the part it hurts to narrate because it was so blatantly _weird_.

"Prepare you minds," I warned.


End file.
